Saturday, August 31, 2019

Ben and Jerry’s Entering into the Japanese Market

Ben and Jerry's Entering into the Japanese Market sy Ihart2dance19 Ben ; Jerrys Homemade, Inc. produces super premium ice cream, frozen yogurt, and ice cream novelties in rich and original flavors. The company sells its unique offerings In grocery stores, restaurants, and franchised Ice cream shops, and it holds about one-third of the market for its products. This global company began with only a $12,000 Investment to open Ben ; Jerrys Homemade Ice cream scoop shop In a renovated gas station in downtown Burlington, Vermont, on May 5th, 1978.From one mall shop In downtown Burlington, the company had grown to Include a chain of nearly 100 franchised shops, and a line of products sold in stores across the country. As one of the leading superpremium ice cream (greater richness and density than other kinds of Ice-cream and Is therefore sold at a relatively high price) manufactures, Ben ; Jerrys has to continually expand and develop to compete with other leading brands. The united States I s one of the largest exporting nations as well.The united States sells products to other countries because no country can roduce all of the products the people want. In 1994, den ;Jerrys starting considering advancing into the Japan ice cream market, the second largest ice cream market in the world with sales of approximately $4,5 billion. According to the survey conducted by â€Å"What Japan Thinks,† nearly 2 out of 5 Japanese eat ice cream every week. However, Japan is a great distance from the united States and it would be complicated to distribute the Items to Japan.Japan's barriers to Imports from foreign countries were high and Ben ; Jerrys were entering the Japanese ice cream market 0years atter Its competitors, such as Haagen-Dazs. According to the survey by â€Å"What Japan Thinks,† the biggest factor in ice cream purchase is by flavor and taste. The Japanese consumers demand high-quality products with different flavors. The demands of the Japanese coincide di rectly with the product mission statement of Ben ; Jerrys which is â€Å"to make, distribute and sell the finest quality all natural ice cream and euphoric concoctions with a continued commitment to Incorporating wholesome, natural ingredients. So based on the quality and flavors of Ben & Jerrys, the ompany doesn't have to change their recipes or ingredients to be popular In the Japanese ice cream market. However, In Japan ice cream is considered a snack more so than a dessert, so to be user- friendly to the Japanese, Ben ; Jerrys should package their Ice cream In personal cups as well as their point sized package. Additionally, the Japanese are very clean and conscience of sanitation, so having Individual serving would be more appealing to the Japanese people.According to â€Å"What Japan Thinks,† the most popular purchase of ice cream is a single-serving cup ot ice cream. When It comes to perishable goods, supermarkets seem to be much stricter In Japan than In the west abo ut moving on stock before it gets old. It Is very important for a product to have a good reputation, especially in Japan, and if a product Isnt good quality no one will buy the product. Ben ; Jerrys should make sure that their product's are being monitored, and if the ice cream is close to perishing, they should make sure It gets thrown out, or then their reputation can be ruined In a 1 Ofa minute. nen Ben & Jerrys aec10e now tney wlll Introduce tnelr product to Japan, hey have to take into account the sociocultural forces and cultural differences between America and Japan. Although shipping to Japan is not the easiest task, Ben & Jerrys is an established corporate company who has been shipping ice cream to the West Coast and to Europe in freezer containers. Ben & Jerrys needs to create an efficient supply chain, the sequence of linked activities that must be performed by various organizations to move goods from the sources of raw materials to ultimate consumers, so the company can then ship out their products smoothly.The company hen has to find the best approach to their physical distribution, or logistics. Bringing their products to Japan would require detailed and structured outbound logistics involving managing the flow of finished products and information to business buyers and ultimate consumers. Ben & Jerrys then has to choose the right transportation mode. Because Japan is over seas from their Vermont factory, the only 2 options would be water transportation, which is inexpensive but slow (about 3 weeks) or by air, which is fast but expensive.Although Japan has barriers to foreign imports, in 948 the General Agreement of Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was formed, which was an international forum for negotiating reductions in trade restrictions. The World Trade Organization (WTO) was also established to assume the task of mediating trade disputes among nations. Japan is part of the WTO, Joining on September 10th, 1955. This will make it easier for Ben & Jerr ys to advance in Japan's foreign market because there is a global mediation center. Also, there are expectations of falling tariffs on dairy products, which would be a desirable feature in selling in Japan.Even though Haagen-Dazs had already been selling their superpremium ice cream in Japan's market, now Ben & Jerrys doesn't have to educate the Japanese market about superpremium ice cream. Haagen-Dazs's sales in Japan were about $300 million, proving there is a large Japanese ice cream market and superpremium ice cream is desirable in the country. There are many advantages and disadvantages for Ben & Jerrys to penetrate the Japanese market by relying on 7-Eleven, an international chain of convenience stores, to distribute their superpremium ice cream.If Ben & Jerrys sold directly to 7-Eleven creating a Joint venture or a strategic alliance, they would create a long-term partnership between two companies to undertake a major project and help each company build competitive market adv antage. Because Ben & Jerrys have expanded all over the world it is a multinational corporation. If Ben & Jerrys could sell directly to 7-Eleven, it would eliminate the distribution costs. However, there would be a power struggle between the 2 major companies.If Ben & jerry's agrees to an exclusive agreement with the massive convenience store chain, 7- Eleven would have the upper hand. Another advantage of entering the market through 7-Eleven is the immediate placement of Ben ; Jerrys in over 7000 convenience stores in Japan, giving Ben ; Jerrys an instant access to the market on a large scale. Yet, by doing this, Ben ; Jerrys might not be able to build their own brand name and an issue with 7-Eleven would leave Ben ; Jerrys without their own position in the Japanese market.Also, 7-Eleven insisted that Ben ; Jerrys ice cream be packaged in personal cups as opposed to the pint size, due to the cultural view of ice cream in Japan. This would require $2 million in equipment and differe nt methods in packaging the ice cream, because Ben ; Jerrys would have to comply wltn tnese cnanges. I ne ‘-Eleven approacn to Just-ln-tlme Inventory procedures would make delivery reliability key and costs would have to be minimized. Because the Japanese production is unique, Ben & Jerrys would have to be careful to not mix up the Japanese label with the regular label.A disadvantage of relying on 7-Eleven is the asset specific investment in production equipment. Due to these changes, there would be complex logistics and production planning. Also, the pricing and profit distributions are unclear. The only clear thing was that Ben & Jerrys would be shipping from their Vermont factory. Entering the market with 7-Eleven would allow Ben & Jerrys to have control of their brand, although 7-Eleven would have a dominant position. Ben & Jerrys would have to rely on 7-Eleven promoting the brand, which 7- Eleven wasn't promising.A major advantage is that 7-Eleven is an established corpor ation, so 7-Eleven has high-level executive involvement and an efficient supply chain. Ben ; Jerrys would increase sales through convenience stores and would ccess the market on a large scale easily. Ken Yamada was also interested in acting as a licensee for Ben ; Jerrys in Japan, overseeing marketing and distribution of its products there. Yamada would be the marketing intermediary for Ben ; Jerrys, being the independent firm which will assist in the flow of goods and services from producers to end-users.Yamada would be a good candidate because he was a well- recommended third-generation Japanese-American, so he knew the culture and how to integrate American and Japanese cultures. He also was already running the Domino's Pizza franchise in Japan. The Domino's franchise in Japan was very successful, and Domino's already delivered ice cream cups, so they had the resources to deliver Ben & Jerrys. However, part of Yamada's agreement was that he would have exclusive rights to the entir e Japanese market.This would mean that Yamada would have full control of branding and marketing efforts, making Ben ; Jerrys fully dependent on the efforts of Yamada. He would have full control of the marketing and sales in Japan. Yamada would introduce Ben ; Jerrys to the Japanese market from he initial steps to the large picture; starting with positioning the brand, formulating and strategically orchestrating the initial launch, and concentrating on the best marketing and distribution strategy for the long-term positioning of Ben ; Jerrys in Japan.By using Yamada to introduce Ben ; Jerrys in the Japanese market, Yamada would earn royalty on all sales, but he would have full control of the Japanese market. This would give Ben ; Jerrys instant expertise in a foreign market and because Yamada was already running Domino's, there was a simple entry strategy and an ongoing marketing management. Yamada was very valuable to the ice cream company. He knew frozen foods, he had an entreprene urial spirit and marketing sa'. n. y.However, because Yamada would be investing his time in a marketing campaign only after reaching an agreement with Ben ; Jerrys, there was no specific plan available for consideration, and Yamada would have full control and the right to change any plan. Yamada has good market knowledge and the managerial requirements, making it less demanding for Ben ; Jerrys. However, he has no specific business plan and no brand control. Although Ben ; Jerrys managers believe the ompany should delay entering the Japanese market because of economic problems, I think Ben ; Jerrys should enter the Japanese market.Japan is the second largest ice cream market globally, with sweet growth rates. Japan has high profit margins. Japan nas a nlgn aemana Tor super premium Ice cream. Inere Is also a aecllnlng aomestlc growth rates and market shares in Japan. Also, Ben ; Jerrys has excess capacity in the United States factory. Japan has the second largest ice cream market in the world with sales of approximately $4. 5 billion, proving that Ben ; Jerrys would be very successful entering the Japanese market.

Friday, August 30, 2019

MegaCities Essay Essay

Mega Cities are cities that have a population of more than 8 million and are characterised by the challenges they face, including issues involving the informal economy, unemployment, poor sanitation and shelter. These issues are largely prominent in these cities due to rapid urban growth and a lack of resources. In many cases action has been taken by national governments and non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) to combat and reduce the impact of these issues, however In order for these strategies to be effective they need to fit 3 primary criteria, the solution must be community based, cost effective and sustainable economically and environmentally. Strategies such as micro financing.. Etc. have been adopted to resolve these challenged. A primary challenge facing many mega cities is the population’s heavy reliance on the informal economy as a means of income. The informal economy is a sector of unregulated work and with this comes high unemployment rates and a lack of jobs to support the ever-increasing population. Jobs in the informal economy are particularly prominent in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where 65% of all jobs are found in this sector. Jobs in the informal economy pose a threat to mega cities and their population as workers are not protected and are open to exploitation (e.g. Child labour) and people employed informally pay no tax (e.g. Street vendors, rickshaw drivers) leading to a reduction in the governments revenue. A number of strategies have been undertaken in order to transform informal work into the formal economy, including Micro financing. Micro financing involves NGO’s giving out small loans (approximately $US200), which provide people with money to formalise their business. There are a number of NGO’s that undertake this strategy, including Opportunity International, which is an Australian charity, operating in manila, targeting particularly impoverished communities. Access to these loans is based on a persons standing in the community and once the business begins to sustain itself loans must be repaid. The outcome of this process is a formalised business, which then contributes to government  beneficially by providing it with revenue. This strategy to combat the prominence of the informal economy has been particularly successful, adheres to the three evaluation criteria and provides users with lifetime skills and an income, which could potentially improve their living standards/quality of life. Another challenge faced by a large majority of mega cities is access to shelter, due to population growth in mega cities being too extreme for sufficient supply of housing. This in turn leads to the creation of informal housing, such as squatter settlements, which are generally formed on unoccupied unwanted land, such as next to rail lines or sewerage systems. Informal housing is extremely prominent in developing countries such as India, where 500,000 people live on the pavement in Kolkata with at least 4 million more living in squatter settlements; as well as 1 million people living in cemeteries in Cairo, and  ¼ of the Philippines population residing in slums. This informal housing creates a number of problems for its residents and government; it lacks basic services (sewerage, electricity, water), leading to unsanitary living conditions. There is a lack of tenure, which is the legal right to occupy land, which stops residents from wanting to improve property, insecurity for people and also extremely high crime rates particularly in the Favelas of Rio de Janiero where the police are unable to patrol, due to extreme gang violence. NGO’s and governments have undertaken strategies to improve the issue of lack of access to shelter, including the Kolkata Bustee Improvement Project, a joint initiative between government and non-government organisations. This is a site and service program meaning that the project takes an existing site and provides it with necessary services, such as sanitation, electricity etc. This program in turn reduces the cost burden on local government and creates jobs by incorporating the local community into the work. This movement has tried to stop India’s slum clearance policy, which frees up NGO’s to be able to assist the extreme urban poor. This movement has proved to be extremely successful in improving the shelter situation in Kolkata as it improves the living standard of squatter settlement dwellers, provides jobs and skills to the local community (therefore adding to the formal not informal economy) and also allows NGO’s to be able to assist the poor as they were previously  restricted by government policies. Another benefit is that it is cost effective because it aims to improve existing settlements and creates tenure. Access to sanitation is another key challenge faced by many Mega Cities that is, providing safe food and drinking water and sewerage management. Due to increasing populations, inadequate and ancient sewerage systems and also lack of access to fresh water many Mega Cities face sanitation issues. This issue is particularly prominent in cities such as Manila, where only 11% of people have access to a sewerage system, Karachi at 20% and Dhaka at 18% of the population. Water Borne diseases are particularly prominent in megacities, such as Cholera, Dysentery and Typhoid. Furthermore the disposal of solid waste in Mega cities has lead to issues involving contamination of groundwater and creating Vernon, this is common of Jakarta where only  ¼ of all rubbish gets collected. To combat the issue of sanitation, local governments and NGO’s have established very effective, low-tech strategies, such as the Pour Flush Toilet. This initiative is a relatively cheap response to the needs of unplanned urban settlements in mega cities. A pour flush toilet has a water seal that avoids the problems associated with odour and insects. However its effectiveness is limited by the fact that the system is not suitable in cities where the groundwater table is close to the surface, which is the case in many mega cities, including Mumbai and Kolkata in India and Dhaka in Bangladesh. Also, pour flush toilets can produce substantial quantities of heavily contaminated wastewater which can require substantial downstream infrastructure to avoid severe environmental and public health problems. Despite the disadvantages of this strategy it has proved to be a very successful short term solution to the issue of sanitation and is widely used in Mega Cities around the world, due to the fact that they are simple to use and can be kept clean fairly easily. Mega Cities face many challenges; largely due to their high population increase rate. They therefore need to develop a number of solutions and strategies to combat these prominent issues, such as the informal economy, access to shelter and access to sanitation. If action is not taken to confront these issues they will only become more consequential, leading to more deaths and further environmental and land degradation. Governments and  NGO’s continually need to create strategies to solve these issues and their efforts so far have proved to be extremely beneficial in improving the quality of life of residents of Mega cities, as they fit the three primary criteria needed for solutions to be effective.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Contract Sperm Whales Essay

This agreement is drawn up and signed in Dubai, UAE on the 25 th of April 2012, by and between 1. Jetta Pharmaceuticals Ltd., producer of special medicaments for improving the immune system, based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, represented in this matter by its sales director Mr. L. Dziel, hereinafter referred as „seller† and 2. Vegan Perfumes, sole producer of SKY ® perfumes, based in 19 Royce Avenue, Nottingham, United Kingdom, represented in this matter by its sales manager Ms. Sara Zydorczak, hereinafter reffered as „buyer† Whereas: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Jetta Pharmaceuticals Ltd. buys the entire output of Sperm Whales from Whales Hunting Ltd. Jetta Pharmaceuticals Ltd. pays Whales Hunting Ltd. in lump sum. Whales Hunting Ltd. transports 200 Sperm Whales to the new-built warehouse (costs of transport included in output price) From the warehouse organs will be shipped to the both companies headquarters. Vegan Perfumes repays Jetta Pharmaceuticals Ltd. in lump sum (bank account transfer, 72 hours after receiving the e-mail address will all needed data). All prices are expressed in American dollars ($). The parties agree as follows: 1. 2. 3. The Quantity of the Sperm Whales, which will be bought from Whales Hunting Ltd. The initial price of mammals bought from Whales Hunting Ltd. by Jetta Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Building the new warehouse where the whales will be stored and eviscerated. The work will be outsourced to the local company. 4. 5. 6. Creating the new limited liability company „Whales Medicaments & Perfumes†. Founding a charity organisation „Sea forever†. Details, which are connected with the transaction (transport, custom duty, etc.) Negotiated issues: Price: †¢ The Price includes all taxes and costs of transport – first from Whales Hunting Ltd. headquarters to the warehouse and then to Malaysia and to the United Kingdom †¢ Currency: $ (US dollars) Details: Jetta Pharmaceuticals Ltd. buys the entire yearly output of Sperm Whales from Whales Hnting Ltd. The date of the transaction is 25th April 2012 Price: $ 25.000 per Sperm Whale Output: 200 Sperm Whales Amount of money: $ 5.000.000 Jetta Pharmaceuticals Ltd. pays $ 5.000.000 and after receiving the money Whales Hunting Ltd. transports 200 Sperm Whales to the new warehouse which location will be send in the e-mail after transfering money to the given bank account. From the warehouse organs needed by Jetta Pharmaceuticals Ltd. will be send to Malaysia and organs needed by Vegan Perfums will be send to the United Kingdom. The eviscerated mammals will be sold to the museums in Australia, New Zealand and another countries. The money from this sales will be transfered to the special 2 bank account created for the new charity organisation „Sea forever†. The activity of „Sea forever† will be descripted in another contract signed during the first visit in the new warehouse. The Import Licence is the Buyer’s responsibility, if required. If the Buyer fails to obtain the Import Licence, the Seller has the right to terminate the present contract. The deadline of this transaction depends on the day when the new warehouse will be built and the work outsourced to the local company. Payment terms: Form of payment: money transfer to the bank account Time of effecting the payment: 72 hours Goods: The cases from 200 Sperm Whales – sent to Malaysia Ambergis from 200 Sperm Whales – sent to the United Kingdom 200 eviscerated Sperm Whales – left in the warehouse until bought by museums or private collectors Packaging: Containers suited to the transportation of organic matter Warranty: The transport company is responsible for deli vering the products Type of transport: first two – planes, eviscerated mammals – container ships Place: Transport to Malaysia and the United Kingdom, in the future another directions Costs of the transport: All costs of transportation included in Transaction Price. The seller is obligated to cover all additional costs if necessary. Time range of a contract: This contract come into force within 7 days after it is signed. The contract terminates when the parties decide. Force Majeure: natural disasters, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, wars, riots or other major upheaval, government restictions, UN or EU restrictions, performance failures of parties outside the control of the contracting party (subcontractors, suppliers, carriers, outsourced company, company building the warehouse) Applicable law: This contract shall be governed by and constructed according to New Zealand law Disputes: Any disputes, controversies or claims between the parties arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be enforceable and judgment upon any award rendered by the arbitrators may be entered in the state court of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, having jurisdiction. The parties will have rights to enter state courts in case of strong disagreement with the judgment of the arbitration court.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Compare and contrast two articles with opposite viewpoints (opposing Essay

Compare and contrast two articles with opposite viewpoints (opposing articles) - Essay Example The authors claim that research shows that the difference in the cognitive abilities of girls and boys are trivial; thus, there is no gain in opting for single-sex classrooms in public schools. Aside from the high cost of setting up these classrooms, it also goes against the federal law which requires that schools should make available their resources to both sexes. The authors conclude their article by stating that single-sex classrooms do not make any sense. On the other hand, Reed’s essay, â€Å"Girls and Boys Thrive in Separate Classrooms† take the opposite side by arguing that â€Å"single-sex education is a valid and compelling option† (Reed 542). The article mentions that the learning styles of girls and boys differs; therefore, there is a need to promote single-sex classrooms. Moreover, the author mentions that students who graduate from single-sex classrooms perform better and are more prepared for college than those who attend coed schools (Reed 542). R eed cites several statistics and researches to justify her argument that single-sex classroom is the route that the nation must take if it wants to remain competitive (543). These two articles will be compared and contrasted to determine which one is a more persuasive and effective discussion on the issue of single-sex classrooms. ... In the fourth paragraph Reed cites a study of secondary schools and colleges which showed that single-sex schools for females provide better educational opportunities and occupational achievements (Reed 542). On the other hand, Barnett’s and Rivers’ style is less direct. They do not present their position in the first part of the essay; rather, they mention about a school’s superintendent plan to create two single-sex public schools. Unlike Reed, the readers are not made aware of their stand until the middle part of the essay. The style of Barnett and Rivers is to show examples of single-sex classrooms and how it affects the performance of the students. The mention of statistics is not predominant in the article unlike that of Reed’s. Barnett and Rivers’ article lacks the support of statistical data. They mention that the theory that there are major gender differences in the processing of information between boys and girls have been debunked but the y fail to present evidence of such, unlike Reed who supports her theories by citing statistics. The use of statistics makes Reed’s article more convincing and believable. A notable style of Barnett and Rivers is shown in paragraph 8. Contrary to Reed’s style, they include a statement in their article that single-sex classrooms are good provided the resources are there (Barnett and Rivers 540). They agreed to the opposing position but immediately contradict it by saying that there is a catch to it. Reed on the other hand, never mentions that coed classrooms are good. Instead, she strengthens her position by presenting the drawbacks of her argument but refutes it by discussing the results or a research made among more than 450 schools (Reed 542). Both

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Quantitative analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Quantitative analysis - Essay Example The measurement is based on a proper sequence, and time intervals are equally distant and uniform (Schelter, Winterhalder et al. 319). The main aim of this kind of analysis is to determine any possible existence of a pattern or sequence in a given set of data. The time series analysis itself offers variety of methods, namely the forecasting approach, the univariate approach, which involves limited variables, and other advanced techniques like Gaussian and Box-Jenkins model. Large number of events can be counted as examples of time series analysis that we see in our daily life in our routine activities. For example, the constant rise in the inflation rate, the unemployment rate, the rise in salary, local currency depreciation, annual budgets estimation and comparison with the past values and prediction of upcoming budgets – all these things are possible through the effective tool known as time series analysis. Time series analysis is a vast entity in itself and contains various other methods and approaches, which makes it one of the most effective means of quantitative analysis of data. Various types of Time Series Analysis Continuous time series As the name applies, the samples and patterns are collected over a continuous and recurrent time frame (Tsay 287). Discrete In contrast to continuous time series, the discrete method attains certain values at fixed and definitive moments. Deterministic vs. Stochastic The data so obtained is deterministic in nature, that is, the accuracy and predication level is relatively high and accurate. The stochastic method involves relative use of probability and assumption based on the trends. These trends are collected from the past and present values, which enables the prediction of future trends. Advantages There are a number of advantages attached to this form of analysis; the first and foremost is the possibility to analyze things based on solid foundations and evidence, which involves study and consideration of sampl es and patterns from past values and may include the data from present values if a future trend is to be determined. It enables gathering data on a more consistent pattern that is relatively more reliable. Another advantage of this pattern is the co-relational factor and dependency between the variables involved. With the element of dependency in the analysis, the results become more reliable and consistent, and in such cases a change in one, or any other alteration, might result in disturbance and variation in the other, so the entire system is under a uniform control and each entity is dependent on the presence and behavior of the other entity in the system under analysis. Due to this feature, it has the ability to determine the linear and non-linear functions and relations. Other salient features of time series analysis include constant observation, with no data missing in-between, and the time slots and observational chunks are equally spaced. Applications Though time series ana lysis finds its application in a large number of places and circumstances, the most notable of them is the process of forecasting. Forecasting is an essential tool of managerial world and in other processes where predictions are needed and made about a certain future value. Time series analysis is the best tool for it. The process is naturally designed in such a way that completely fulfils the requirements of a

The Reform of the House of Lords Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Reform of the House of Lords - Term Paper Example While the primacy of the Commons was originally derived from its electoral mandate, its continuing relevance is furthered by its functions and roles. The Government cannot govern without the support of the Commons because it has final say on legislation. As the Royal Commission chaired by Lord Wakeham emphasized, "The House of Commons, as the principal political forum, should have the final say in respect of all major public policy issues" and "it would be wrong to restore the fully bicameral nature of the pre-1911 Parliament."3 The primary role played by the Commons rests on several factors. First, its mandate as the direct representatives of the people means that it has greater democratic legitimacy than the Lords. The Commons' power to grant or withhold supply (public expenditure) is the source of its ability to uphold or dismiss the Government. Without the Commons' consent, the Government cannot function because the Commons approves the expenditure. It is thus undesirable for the reformed Lords to undermine this primacy. Changes in the Lords composition might lead to this undesirable outcome.4 The Lords cannot have the same power of public expenditure because there must only be a single route through which the Government secures its authority to govern. The Lords should have less power over the Government although it can ask the Government to reconsider a proposal without questioning the Government's authority. The primacy of the Commons is enshrined in the Parliament Acts, which limit the power of the Lords to veto legislative proposals, contain specific provisions relating to Bills on national taxation, public money or loans or their management. In a dispute between the two chambers on primary legislation, the Commons is supreme.The Lords should neither be a rival nor a mirror of the Commons. The Lords should not also be a rubber stamp of the Government's proposals. The primary function of a second chamber is the scrutiny of proposed legislation to provid e a second opinion. In order to secure the highest possible quality of legislation, a government must provide this second opinion.  

Monday, August 26, 2019

Study case3 Case Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Case3 - Case Study Example Despite the poor performance, 25% of the company’s revenue is generated from beauty products sales that has brought forth highly innovative product under the leadership of A.G. Lafley as the CEO. Under his first tenure (2000 to 2009), P&G undertook various creative innovations that saw to double increase of its products sales. As the CEO, A.G. Lafley has come up with various measures that are aimed at propelling the company’s profitable sales of its products. The company has been pruning some of its production segments which include the selling of pet food producing segment to the Candy Bar and Pedigree-maker Mars Inc. for $2.9 billion which is enough cash to undertake innovations and reinvest in the growing shaving, baby care, beauty and fabric segments (Brown, Bruce, and Scott D. Anthony 42-56). In 2010, the company revealed a sustainable program to drive 20% reduction in energy used for every unit of production by the year 2020. This has cut down energy consumption by 8% per unit, and also continues to introduce energy management systems at new locations that will help the company save millions of dollars. Moreover; P&G has engage momentous mechanisms to enhance productivity, counting a five-year cost savings initiative that will last through 2016. Through this, Proctor and Gamble CO. Targets to save $10 billion in costs related to goods traded, marketing expenses and non-manufacturing expenses. This program helped the company save $1.2 billion in cost of goods sold in the fiscal year 2013. The company has also incorporated a reshuffling process of its worldwide sales operation, combining Eastern and Western Europe into the single transaction. While the other combination is for India into its African and Middle East operations aiming at organizing the sales distribution in parallel geographical location and cutting cost (Brown, Bruce, and

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Obesity in Children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Obesity in Children - Essay Example An increase in body mass index (BMI) and percentage ideal body weight are good predictors of morbidity, some researchers suggest that visceral obesity represents a variant that is more closely related to excess morbidity. Daniels states that obesity-problems and diseases "once thought applicable only to adults are now being seen in children and with increasing frequency. Examples include high blood pressure, early symptoms of hardening of the arteries, type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, polycystic ovary disorder, and disordered breathing during sleep" (Daniels 2006, 47). Following Wadden and Stunkard (9) blood volume is increased in obesity in proportion to the increased body mass. Because blood volume increases with obesity proportionally more than does cardiac output, even simple obesity is a volume expanded state. Even in simple obesity, cardiac stroke volume and pulse rate are increased in line with the hypervolaemic conditions mentioned above. Obese patients with co-morbidities have cardiac dilation and hypertrophy demonstrable by echocardiography (Hills 82). ECG diagnosis of hypertrophy is more problematic because of the effect of thickening of the chest wall. Some studies suggest left ventricular mass index is proportional to BMI, others that it is more closely related to percentage of body weight over ideal weight. However, as the strain on the heart persists both impaired systolic function and diastolic function typically develop (Glanz and Sallis 2006). Obesity can impact on lung function, with excess central fat deposition producing a restrictive pulmonary abnormality and increased work of breathing. As a result, respiratory complaints are common in subjects with obesity and conditions such as asthma are often overdiagnosed in obese patients. Obesity is also linked to breathing disorders during sleep, such as sleep apnoea and nocturnal hypoventilation (Wadden and Stunkard 92). Fast food, unhealthy behavior patterns and lack of physical activity lead to increased obesity in children. As the most important, "the industry markets heavily to children with the goal of fostering a fast-food habit that will persist into adulthood" (Murphy, 2000). As with adults, it is critical that children who are overweight or obese at minimum achieve the recommendations of physical activity for health for their age. Two consensus conferences held during the last decade have addressed the activity needs of young people. Achieving standard recommendations has been even more difficult with children than with adults (Hulls 43). The main problem is that children can show deterioration in their health due to low activity levels, because there has been insufficient time, and therefore there are no strong epidemiological endpoints on which to establish relationships (Daniels 2006). As well as reinforcing physical activity behaviors, reducing access to sedentary life style can increase activity levels in obese children. There is a close link between sedentary living (such as the amount of time spent watching television) and obesity, than physically active pursuits and obesity (Karen et al 2005). Helping children make permanent, healthy changes to their eating

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Research paper Bachelor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research paper Bachelor - Essay Example 2. This was predominantly media circulated story. It is essential to know that media had been unbiased throughout its reporting and distorting reality had not taken place. It is a fact that more media dependent people become, interaction with other humans lessens proportionately and our understanding of human nature diminishes. "As media remain a primary information and entertainment source, many scholars express concern that interpersonal discussions about important social topics will continue to decline leading to accelerated civic and social disengagement of the audience members, Wicks (2001, p.5). 4. If in reality, the victim is a prostitute, how could the men be justified in forcing their attention on an unwilling prostitute and it has to be treated as rape, even though it was not violent and here, it was a violent sexual assault, which has no justification. It is wrong to presume that prostitutes do not have morality or lack the power of saying no. 5. Media coverage had been overwhelming. Media can produce mass hysteria, sway people's minds, alter opinions, force accused to be flushed out into open, create awareness and question if incident was isolated. It has to be probed if media had been successful in this case. 7. Presence of two Muslims amongst accused has created a cultural question.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Star Image of Helen Mirren Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Star Image of Helen Mirren - Essay Example This analysis will concentrate on two specific points in Helen Mirren's career. First, her arrival on the scene at the height of the sexual revolution and how sexuality became a major part of her star image, and second, her recent renaissance as a sexual object near the end of her career. It is thus only partly ironic that Helen Mirren was recently voted the world's sexiest OAP; she is surely the oldest woman to pose naked on the front of the normally staid Radio Times. From youthful, bohemian sexuality in her early films and theatre roles onto a more mature, developed and confident seductiveness in films such as The Long Good Friday, Mirren has succeeded in being "sexual" without seeming to lose her identity as an autonomous female. Helen Mirren came to prominence at the height of the sexual revolution in the mid 1960's She auditioned for the National Youth Theatre at the eight of eighteen (in 1963) and at the age of twenty was already starring at the Old Vic Theatre. Her early roles reflected a sexuality that was perhaps beyond what most might expect of a young woman of her age. Thus she played Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra in 1965 for the National Youth Theatre and then Cressida in Trolius and Cressida for the Royal Shakespeare Company, followed by Lady Macbeth for the same company in a famous production directed by Trevor Nunn. Two early film roles exemplified the mixture of a fire-like and yet vulnerable sexuality. The left still below is from Age of Consent (1969), while the right one is from O Lucky Man, along side Malcolm McDowell : - While it is perhaps very difficult to extrapolate from a film still to the actual experience of watching a film, and thus considering the screen presence which makes a "star", these stills hint at the fact that Mirren has never been a traditional "sex object" along the lines of Marilyn Monroe, Bridget Bardot or Sophia Loren. She looks, to be frank, simply too intelligent to be pigeon-holed into such a one-dimensional identity. A popular entertainment website describes her as "perhaps the ultimate thinking man's sex symbol. . . " (starpulse, 2007). On its surface this might appear to be a rather superficial interpretation of the actress, but on closer inspection it brings us to the heart of Mirren's unique star quality. Even when she was gaining a reputation as a something of a sex-pot through regularly removing her clothes both on stage and in films during the 1970's, it seems clear that Mirren was careful never to be associated merely with eroticism and thus to be exposed in a gratu itous manner for the voyeuristic pleasure of the audience. The sexuality in her films is nearly always an integral part of the plot rather than merely a chance for the director to show off Mirren's rather obvious sex-appeal. For example, in The Long Good Friday she turns from the classic, almost clichd figure of the subservient gangster wife into a fearless avenger who uses sexual encounters as a source of revenge. Mirren is the controlling subject of her sex scenes rather than the controlled object. She is thus the opposite of the kind of

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Figures of speech Essay Example for Free

Figures of speech Essay * Why are figures of speech important? * How can figures of speech add more meaning to poetry? Objectives: * Compile figures of speech found in songs * Decode the figures of speech used in the compiled songs 1. â€Å"Why does love always feel like a battlefield, a battlefield† (Battlefield by Jordin Sparks) – Simile. The song compares love to a battlefield because love means sacrifice and compromise, just like when you’re in a battlefield. 2. â€Å"Shot me out of the sky, you’re my kryptonite† (One Thing by One Direction) – Metaphor. This song directly compares you and kryptonite which means you are compared to his/her weakness. 3. â€Å"Cause Id get a thousand hugs from ten thousand lightning bugs as they tried to teach me how to dance† ( Fireflies by Owl City† – Personification. In this song, the ten thousand lightning bugs has human like characteristics which is that they were trying to teach him how to dance. 4. â€Å"Dear John, I see it all now that you’re gone, don’t you think I was too young to be messed with?† (Dear John by Taylor Swift) – Apostrophe. Taylor Swift is addressing â€Å"John† who is gone or who is absent. 5. â€Å"I know how to laugh but I dont know happiness (Love Tried to Welcome Me by Madonna) Irony. Because when you laugh, it means that you are happy but even though she knows how to laugh, she isn’t happy. 6. â€Å"Who would have known how bittersweet this would taste?† (Someone Like You by Adele)- Oxymoron. This is an oxymoron because bitter and sweet are two opposite words though they are in one statement. 7. â€Å"Before the door’s closed and it comes to an end† (Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne) – Metonymy. This line of the song is metonymy because the word â€Å"door† substitutes the idea of â€Å"an opportunity†. 8. â€Å"‘Cause you know I’d walk a thousand miles, if I could just see you tonight† (A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton)- Hyperbole. This is a hyperbole because this statement was exaggerated. Nobody could walk a  thousand miles. 9. â€Å"Whatever happened to Amelia Earhart? Who holds the stars up in the sky? (Someday We’ll Know by New Radicals) – Allusion. The song refers to Amelia Earhart who is a historical character. She was the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. 10. â€Å"You’re the devil in disguise† (Walk Like An Angel by Elvis Presley) – Metaphor. It is a metaphor because the singer is directly comparing â€Å"you† to the devil. 11. â€Å"You and I go hard at each other like we’re going at war† (One More Night by Maroon 5) Simile. It is a simile because the song compares that they’re going hard at each other with going at a war 12. â€Å"I have died everyday waiting for you† (A Thousand Years by Christina Perri†) – Hyperbole. Because it’s exaggerated. Nobody could actually die just waiting for a person and nobody could die every day. 13. â€Å"Forgive him when his tongue lies through his brain, even after three times he betrays me† (Judas by Lady Gaga) – Allusion. In this song, they are referring to Judas Iscariot from the bible, because like what is stated in the song, Judas Iscariot was the one who betrayed Jesus. 14. â€Å"And you shouldnt have to be alone, I would rather be alone together â€Å"(Alone Together by Daley) – Oxymoron. This is an oxymoron because alone and together is opposites yet they are joined in one statement.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Insider Trading Essay Example for Free

Insider Trading Essay Our era aptly has been styled, and well may be remembered as, the age of information. Francis Bacon recognized nearly 400 years ago that knowledge is power, (Nickels ,McHugh 2011) â€Å"Insider trading is an unethical activity in which insiders use private company information to further their own fortunes or those of their families or friends†. Pg.101 Insider trading is a term that includes both legal and illegal conduct. The legal version is when corporate insiders—officers, directors, and employees—buy and sell stock in their own companies. Illegal insider trading refers generally to buying or selling a security, in breach of a fiduciary duty or other relationship of trust and confidence, while in possession of material, nonpublic information about the security. (Agnello Donnelley 1975) Stated if every member of a community has unlimited access to the resources of the community, then the communitys resources soon will be used up unless they happen to be available in infinite supply. The system of private ownership of assets, by contrast, effectively can use the price system to ration the assets in such a way as to preserve them properly and to benefit all members of the community. pg. 521 The Insider Trading Debate Arthur Levitt stated in 1998 that more Americans were investing in the stock market than ever before and Americans had almost twice as much money invested in the stock market as in commercial banks. The illegal version of insider trading most of us think of; is the type of insider trading that achieved wide-spread in the 1980’s with the SECs civil cases and the United States Department of Justices criminal cases against Michael Milken and Ivan Boesky which inspired even Hollywoods imagination with the movie Wall Street. It is the trading that takes place when those privileged with confidential information about important events use the special advantage of that knowledge to reap profits or avoid losses on the stock market, to the detriment of the source of the information and to the typical investors who buy or sell their stock without the advantage of inside information. According to ( Manne 1966) â€Å"Some argue that insider trading is a legitimate form of compensation for corporate employees, permitting lower salaries that, in turn, benefit shareholders. It provides an incentive to innovation, some argue, by promising huge rewards for developing a plan or product that will lead to a precipitous rise in the stock†. (Easterbrook 1985). Found that â€Å"Members of the legal community denounce the practice of insider trading. They view insider trading as an unethical abuse of power by corporate officers and directors. people who have invested resources to develop their human capital to better assimilate information, or corporate officers and directors are always going to have superior access to information†. The case of USA vs Raj Rajaratnam An excellent example referring to insider trading would be the Raj Rajaratnam incident. (Belczyk U.S. Attorney’s Office 2011). A federal jury in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York found that Galleon Group hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam orchestrated the largest hedge fund insider trading case in US history and convicted Rajaratnam on all 14 counts of insider trading including; five counts of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and nine counts of committing securities fraud from 2003 to March 2009. In just over 18th months, this office has charged 47 individuals with insider trading crimes; Rajaratnam is the 35 person to be convicted. On Oct. 2011 Rajaratnam was sentenced to 11 years in prison In addition to his prison term, Rajaratnam was sentenced to two years of supervised release and ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $53,816,434 and a $10 million fine. RAJARATNAM will surrender to authorities on November 28, 2011. (Richey 2011) On Janu ary 20, 2011 Danielle Chiesi was arrested in 2009 along with Galleon Group hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam. After pleading guilty in connection with the case and was accused of communicating non-public information about IBM Corporation, Advanced Microdevices (AMD) and Sun Microsystems (now Sun-Oracle) in 2008 and 2009 to her superiors at New Castle Funds LLC, a Manhattan-based investment advisory company formerly part of Bear Stearns. Danielle was accused of using the information to reap more than $4 million in illegal profits for New Castle. Danielle Chiesi admitted to exploiting her access to valuable non-public information to reap $1.7 million in illegal gains. By sharing and conspiring to trade on inside information, Chiesi compromised the companies she sold out and distorted the market for their stocks. (Richey 2011) Former IBM senior vice president Robert Moffat was sentenced to six months in prison in September and ordered him to pay a $50,000 fine for his role in the scheme after pleading guilty in March 2010. Former Intel Capital executive Rajiv Goel pleaded guilty to insider trading charges in February 2010. Rajaratnam, Chiesi, Goel and Moffat were arrested in October 19, 2009 and charged along with two other individuals and two business entities with insider trading. The complaint alleged that the individuals provided Galleon Group and another hedge fund with material nonpublic information about several corporations upon which the funds traded, generating $25 million in illicit gain. References Agnello Donnelley, Property Rights and EJjiciency in the Oyster Industry, 18 J.L. ECON. (1975) pg. 521 Easterbrook, Insider Trading as an Agency Problem, in PRINCIPALS AND AGENTS: THE STRUCTURE OF BUSINESS (Pratt Zeckhauser eds. 1985). Pg. 330 Henry B. Manne, Insider Trading and the Stock Market (1966) (insider trading increases market efficiency because it produces desirable incentives on corporate managers). Retrieved from: http://www.sec.gov/news/speech/speecharchive/1966speech.shtml Jaclyn Belczyk U.S. ATTORNEYS OFFICE(2011) May 11, 2011. Retrieved from: http://jurist.org/paperchase/2011/05/us-hedge-fund-founder-convicted-of-insider-trading.php Jurist Legal News Research (2011): Jaclyn Belczyk, Daniel Richey Retrieved from: http://jurist.org Testimony of Arthur Levitt Concerning Appropriation for Fiscal Year 1999; March 19, 1998 Before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State and Judiciary of the Senate Committee Appropriations. Retrieved from: http://www.sec.gov/news/speech/speecharchive/1998/spch221.htm Understanding Business Nickels, McHugh, McHugh pg. 101 United States Attorney Southern District of New York (2011), U.S. ATTORNEYS OFFICE ELLEN DAVIS, CARLY SULLIVAN,JERIKA RICHARDSON,EDELI RIVERAPUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE: Retrieved from: http://www.justice.gov/usao/nys/pressreleases/May11/rajaratnamrajverdictpr.pd

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Rook Polynomials and Chess

Rook Polynomials and Chess Introduction Chess is a complex strategical board game. The board on which the game is played is an eight by eight grid. Each player begins the game with 16 pieces: eight pawns, two knights, two bishops , two rooks, one queen, and a single king. Each of the six piece types move differently, and each are able to attack, or remove a certain piece, in different directions. The objective of chess is to checkmate the opposing king by placing ones own pieces around the king where it is being attacked no matter what action it takes.. While chess is primarily a recreational activity, the complexity of the movement of the pieces has resulted in it having significant mathematical properties. Chess analysis is complicated because of the multitude of movement options open to both players at every single move. Many mathematical chess problems involve discovering how specific placement of pieces can result in none of the pieces attacking each other, I.e. None of the pieces are within the same line of sight. One particular variation of these problems is the rook polynomial. The rook piece is able to move horizontally or vertically up to a max of eight squares. In combinatorial mathematics, a rook polynomial generates the combinations of non-attacking rooks; no two rooks are in the same row or column. A board is any layout of squares of a rectangular board with (y) rows and (z) columns. While there are, numerous formulas determining rook placement for rook polynomials, this investigation will look into the method of classifying all quadratic polynomials which are the rook polynomial for some generalized board G. Rook Movement and Application As stated, in chess, rooks are able to attack   any square in its line of sight,( i.e. its row or column)   exhibited below If a rook were to fall in the line of sight of another rook, they would be attacking. Rook polynomials focus on nonattacking rooks. The board of a rook polynomial is defined as a square n x n chessboard, but can also include any subset of a board. For instance, on a 2 x 3 chess board, or an L shaped chessboard would be subset of a regular board. To denote the patterns in which multiple nonattacking rooks can be placed on a generalized board, the variable S can represent the ways to place a number of non-attacking rooks. R will represent the rook, and (G) the size of the generalized board, creating the formula rs(G). rs(G) will be stated as rs when the size of the board (G) as the size of the board will be apparent. For all boards, r0 will always be equal to one, because it is impossible to set 0 rooks in differing combinations. R1 will always be the number of squares on the board because rook can be placed anywhere as no other rooks are on the board to attack. Rs = 0 when k is greate r than the number of rows or columns on the board, as there will be no way to place all the nonattacking rooks. The following generalized board provides an example of the equation: According to our determined parameters, for this particular subset r0 would again be equal to 1, and r1 would be equal to the number of squares, in this case six. For r2 there are 8 ways to place 2 non attacking rooks, demonstrated below. x x x x x x x x x X X x x x x x Three rooks placed on the board only allow for 3 different non-attacking combinations, meaning r3 equals 3 x x X X x X X x x Since there are only 3 rows for this particular generalized board any rs>3 as being equal to 0. Using this general principle it is possible to create a polynomial that tracks all of the potential rook combinations on a generalized board. The rss would be the coefficients of xs, resulting in the formula: r0 + r1x + r2x2 + à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦+rs-1xs-1+ rsxk The rook placement numbers from the previous generalized board: r0 = 1, r1 = 6, r2 = 8, r3 = 3, r4 = 0, r5, r6,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ = 0 Resulting in the following polynomial: 1+ 6x + 8x2 + 3x3 However it is important to understand that rook polynomials are not unique to a single generalized board. Any board with a similar 3 column lay out would have the same polynomial formula. This leads to the purpose of this mathematics investigation which is to classify all quadratic polynomials which are the rook combinations for a generalized board G. Determining the Quadratic Polynomial Since r0= 1 will always be true, and   r1 = number of squares of (g) the root of the quadratic is: 1 + r1x + r2x2 r1 is determined by board size, therefore it is necessary to discover any r2s where r3 is equal to 0.   If r3 is greater than zero, the rook polynomial could potentially be a cubic, or even quartic. As demonstrated in the previous example, generalized boards with 3 rows will result in polynomials where r4=0 When examining the requirements of r4 = 0, the generalized board must contain two rows of a board and contain squares that are consecutive in each row. As determined preciously, r1 is equal to the number of squares on the generalized board. With that information, we can summarize each row of the board as variables (y) and (z). In this case r1= y+z. With this methodology, (y) and (z) will be placed in a way that the spaces in row (y) are consecutive, and (z) squares are consecutive in the next row. Another important aspect is the number of columns created by (y) and (z). The overlap of the rows will be labeled (p). Using the number of squares in the example, consider r1 to be equal to 12. The possible pairs for (y) and (z) are: 1,11; 2,10; 3,9; 4,8; 5,7; 6,6 To create a formula outlining all the potential quadratic equations of a rook polynomial, any of these numbered pairs will work. In the case of 4,8, if none of the rows overlapped, r2 would be equal to 48. To determine r2 when squares are overlapping, it is necessary to multiply the number of squares in row (y) which are not overlapping by (z), and that to the product of the number of squares overlapping between the two of them and the number of squares not overlapping in row (z). Each square overlap should reduce r2 by 1. To demonstrate: 28+27 18+37 47 If a closer look is taken at each of these equations, it is possible to expand it to and relabel the numbers with variables to create a formula. To demonstrate (38) + (17) = (4-1)8 + 1(8-1) (28) + (27) = (4-2)8 + 2(8-1) (18) + (37) = (4-3)8 +3(8-1) The numerals in these expanded equations can be replaced to reform the formula: r2= (y-i)(z) + (p)(z-1) Simplifying into r2 = yz -pz + pz -   p r2 = yz -p We can insert this equation into the rook polynomial already established to create a formula which can calculate all potential rook polynomial combinations. For example if a generalized board contains row (y) with 6 squares, and row (z) contains 9 squares, with an overlap of p=4, the quadratic polynomial would appear as: 1+(y+z)x +(yz-p)x2 1+(6+9)x +((69)-4)x2 1+15x +((54)-4)x2 1+ 15x + 50x2 Therefore the formula to calculate all potential rook polynomial combinations is 1 + (y+z)x + (yz-p)x2 Discussion and Conclusion Rook polynomials, despite appearing as only a theoretical chess puzzle, actually have a number of practical applications. Various organization problems and layouts can be modeled by the rook problem by equating the objects involved to acting as rooks. A practical application stems from company scheduling. Management may require a specifc number of employees to work their jobs at specific times. However there maybe scheduling issues to ensure no two workers are performing the same job at the same time. A rook polynomial calculation could give insight into the number of combinations of how the workers could be scheduled. The number of workers could represent row (z), and the times available row (y). Each worker must be be at the job and only one time, which is similar to the concept of a rook being at a specific spot that is not attacking any other rook. Depending on the overlap of times and workers available schedule, the formula produce in this investigation could be used to determin e the number of combinations. Another example is if a company desires to hire a certain (y)number of employees on a number (z) different jobs. Each job can only be held by only one employee. By putting both employee number and job number on the rows of a generalized chessboard chessboard, the result is similar to that of a rooks dilemma. When worker A is appointed to job B, it is like a rook is placed on the square where row (y)overlaps row (z). Every occupation will be performed by a single worker, and every worker is assigned to a single job. Therefore all rows and columns in the pattern will contain only one rook, signifying that the rooks will not be attacking one another. The rook polynomial formula could be used to calculate the number of ways the assignments can be executed. However, the investigation in creating a quadratic rook polynomial formula did have limitations. I was unable to expand the formula to examine greater sized generalized boards, requiring that it not reach cubic or quartic levels. I had initially attempted this, but found that I could not find a generalized rule for each and every combination of a generalized board. For this reason, the application to general life problems is limited. My process could have been improved by investigating further into complex rook polynomials such as the Lagueree polynomial.   Ultimately the complexity of chess allow for both simple and complex mathematical analysis, which can produce formulas which have real life application. Having chess as a visual and interactive tool to explore various concepts of math was a helpful resource when performing this investigation. Not only this, but my own enthusiasm for playing chess and studying the intricacies of the math behind the pieces pushed me to write the investigation.

Mandatory Public School Uniforms are a Good Thing Essay -- dress code,

Nowadays, we see many teenagers dress in spaghetti-strap tank tops, low-cut shirts, drop pants, pajamas, and even spandex shorts in school even though there have been policies about dress codes. Teachers, parents, and other adults feel disgruntled about the way they dress. Many students also complain about difficulties in concentrating on schoolwork because of the same reason. Obviously, what students wear to school has become a very distracting issue in the school environment. Therefore, school uniforms should be required in public schools due to many reasons. There have been many forums and discussions about mandatory school uniforms in public schools. They assume that wearing uniforms is a kind of Nazi education tactic; however, school uniforms reduce fashion-envy among students. For example, it is extremely easy to tell who is rich and popular at a public high school. Only popular girls wear Buckle Jeans that cost approximately one hundred dollars per pair. Only popular boys wore Ralph Lauren T-shirts to school. High school students are teenagers who are developing their self-esteem; therefore, it is important to guide students to lead a confident life without caring too much about appearance and materialistic things. In every public school, lots of students try to follow the newest trends and brands by begging their parents to buy them expensive clothes. They also work too hard to earn money for buying clothes, rather than focus on schoolwork. Moreover, the cases in which students steal and commit crimes are increasing like a strong wave. Many students think nowadays that it is more important to put appearance first, not intellect. Students who do well in school are often called nerds and geeks. They are also known ... ...a story about some boys she observed watching a fellow student make a presentation in the school's media center. She noticed the boys were making fun of the other boy's sneakers, which were plain white, in contrast to their more fashionable two-tone shoes. It was the only clothing item that differentiated the student from his classmates, because there is some leeway in the type of shoes students can wear. According to Kathleen C. and Carl A. Cohn’s â€Å"School Improvement Initiatives in Long Beach, California: The Quest for Higher Student Achievement, Behavior, and Dress Standards† in Education magazine, which was published on December 22, 1998, Long Beach Unified School District initiated mandatory uniforms for all K-8 students in the fall of 1994. Within the first year, all incidents of school crime, including assaults and weapons violations, declined by 76 percent.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Elizabeth Rex in comparison to Fiddler On The Roof :: Essays Papers

Elizabeth Rex in comparison to Fiddler On The Roof More specifically, the comparison to be made is between both of Brent Carver’s performances in the aforementioned plays. In Fiddler, Mr. Carver presented us with a humble, lovable and yet poor milkman (Tevye), quite pleased with what he has, but always hoping for a little bit more money in his purse (as he says, â€Å"If I were a rich man†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). What makes his character all the more lovable is his monologues with the Almighty/God (as well as the audience), for this is where the pureness of his heart shines through. For example, he stops to think and speak with God when he sees his daughter Tzeitel in love with Motel. The two had made a pledge to marry one another, but Tzeitel became betrothed to a butcher named Lazar Wolf. In this brief (and musical) contemplation, Tevye weighs the two choices he has, and finally comes to the conclusion that marrying Motel would be mouch better for his daughter, ultimately scoring points with the audience. In Elizabeth Rex, however, Carver brought to life an entirely different character with Ned: a homosexual confined to playing women’s roles and cursed to die from a pox given to him by his lover. Ned is also a heartwarming character at times, showing his companionship with the other characters and with his pet bear, but at other times, he challenges both the audience and the queen of England. The first indication that Ned was much more than any other character usually seen on stage was his entrance. He ran up on stage yelling obscenities (â€Å"Shit! Shit! You rutting bitch!†) and throwing his shoes because one of his fellow actors had flubbed a line. But when the queen appeared, his attitude became more grim and clever. He dared her to stop playing the man for once and be true to herself.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Taming of the Shrew Essays: Katherinas Development :: Taming Shrew Essays

The Taming of the Shrew Essay: Katherina's Development Katherina's development in the play, The Taming of the Shrew, is a complicated dilemma for the reader to figure out. Is she really tamed by Petruchio? Or does she figure out his game and decide she's better off playing along? Or does she recognize her own excessive behavior in his and decide to change of her own free will? Or does she really fall in love with Petruchio and wish to please her lord? I think her evolution is a combination of all of the above. But do we, as readers, want her to be tamed or was her initial independence a virtue? It's obvious that Katherina's father, Baptista Minola, hasn't treated her as well as he treats Bianca, her younger sister. On the other hand, is her "shrewishness" a cause or a result of this favoritism? Katherina is obviously a highly intelligent woman whose gifts have no outlet in the domestic company of the household. For example, in their first meeting, Katherina keeps up with Petruchio pun for pun and insult for insult. Perhaps her fury is simply the result of having no outlet for her feisty wit. And when Petruchio comes along and treats her as an equal (the opposite of taming), I think she is taken aback and that is how he is able to swoop in and win her. In this first encounter, Katherina is, for the first time in her life, spoken kindly to by a man. She seems moved by Petruchio's praise. Also, when it appears she has been left at the altar, she weeps and wishes she had never met him. I think her grief is a sign of her genuine affection and perhaps even love for Petruchio. By the end of the play and in her final speech, Katherina may seem genuinely tamed, depending on your interpretation of the soliloquy -- is it genuine or tongue-in-cheek? Is she really her lord's noble servant or is she pandering to him and what he wants to hear? I think she wants to give her husband happiness, but knows that her husband will do the same for her. I think Petruchio and Katherina would actually have a very balanced marriage of mutual respect, because they each know what the other is capable of.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Leukemia Research Paper Essay

PART I: I personally know of a couple of skeletal diseases. I know of Leukemia, which is a type of cancer where white blood cells multiply in an uncontrolled manner, and the cause is unknown. I have also personally met someone with Leukemia, and it is not a slow-moving disease; he unfortunately died within a few years. I know of osteoporosis from the notes. It is a disease resulting in the loss of bone tissue. The cancellous bone loses calcium, becomes thinner, and may eventually disappear altogether. I don’t know if a fracture constitutes as a bone disease, but they can be Spiral, Closed, Open, or Multiple. One of the most well-known bone diseases is Arthritis. It is a disease of the joints; victims suffer pain, stiffness, and swelling of the joints. Many athletes will also show signs of Tendonitis, a disorder involving stiffness or pain in the muscles or joints. I want to find out more about Leukemia, the most relatable disease to me, and what symptoms the victims of it suffer. PART II: I am going to choose to research the skeletal disease of Leukemia, because it has personally affected me in my life. One of our close family friend’s children died of Leukemia when he was five. He had a very advanced form of Leukemia when he was born and it was a very sad time when he passed. I will more specifically be researching Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia, the disease he suffered from. I am looking for treatment options, symptoms, and prevention abilities. PART III: I began my search by typing â€Å"Leukemia† into Google search and got many reliable sources. I chose a source from the Mayo Clinic that clearly defined the disease and had a brief synopsis of the disease. I also went to the Leukemia & Lymphoma society’s website and found a document on the specific type of leukemia I was researching. I also searched the symptoms of Leukemia and found a good source on Medicine Net. SOURCES: – http://www.lls.org/#/diseaseinformation/leukemia/jmml/ – http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/leukemia/DS00351 – http://www.medicinenet.com/leukemia/page5.htm#symptoms PART IV: I learned that Leukemia is a blood cancer that attacks the bone marrow and the Lymphatic system. I learned that many different types exist and treatment can be complex, depending on the type of Leukemia and other factors. I learned that Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia is most commonly diagnosed in infants, much like my close friend. I didn’t know, but JMML is a very uncommon type of blood cancer and it only occurs in infancy and early childhood. I learned that symptoms can be fevers, frequent infections, swollen lymph nodes, weight loss for no reason, bleeding and bruising easily, and pain in the joints and bones. I learned that doctors diagnose Leukemia by physical exams as well as blood tests and biopsies. I learned that stem-cell transplantation could be used for treatment of this cancer. My friend had this done with the help of his younger brother, and actually went into remission for two years. I really learned a lot about this disease and have an enlightened perspective on Leukemia and its unfortunate victims.

Friday, August 16, 2019

My Personal Experience

It was about a month ago I was on the phone with my sister. She recently broke up with her boyfriend and now she say she ended her relationship with Shawn her bestrides since the fifth grade. Knowing that Darlene can sometimes be hasty in her decisions to end friendships rather than confront a problem (we once had a similar situation) I asked her if she was sure she was doing the right thing and had actually discussed this with Shawn. I remember the one time she confronting the robber meant unplugging my computer in the middle Of a research project and storming out of the apartment. )She assured me that she had and that surprisingly enough. Shawn agreed the friendship needed to be ended. It was hard she said. She pushed her two close friends away. But ,she added, she felt good. She felt strong and ready to grow in a new direction. While I was reflecting on this conversation. I thought about the friendships I have had in my life. Some were good, some bad. A few have lasted.However, co st have fallen apart either due to lack of communication or lack of mood. Sometimes like the situation above both parties understand the break. I don't regret much in my life and one of the things do not regret is saying goodbye in certain relationships/friendships. It is this aspect of friendships on which I will focus rather than the friends I still have or the friendships I wish I hadn't severed. These expired relationships often teach us just as much as the other types. Friends should not belittle or emotionally abuse you and/or only give and tot take.That is the reason several of my friendships have ended. There is also always the friends who take a separate path or resents you for taking yours. But whoever the reason friendships end. This is a good thing. Imagine all the emotional baggage, bad memories, and embarrassing people you would have to cart around with you forever. I have learned from the friendships I was in and how they taught me important lessons. I have learned th at people might be as supportive and loving as possible but only do it for their own purposes. Melanie told me she ether be Monday's friend.I realized that some people only want friends when they need them and can control them. Another friend named Carry taught me that some values and decisions can not be overloaded. Sometimes two people change so much that they can not remain friends. Do get sad and statistical when remember some of these friendships. There are times that I dearly miss my high school days with Andy. There are times miss the sleepovers with Tanana. There are also times when I wish Melanie and I could have separated responsibilities and feelings.However, when I get the emails that begin â€Å"l know we haven't talked in two years but or when I remember the reason the friendship ended in the first place. I briefly consider rekindling the friendship and then more often than not, realize that these times in my life have ended for a reason. Have like Darlene well grown and changed. Have became stronger and more compassionate in my treatment of others. These friends of the past have given me this gift. I am also who I am today because of the friends I no longer have.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Saving Private Ryan Сoursework

‘Saving Private Ryan' is an academy award winning film set during the time of D-Day invasion in World War 2. It was made in 1998 and was directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat. It was a very successful film and won 5 Oscars. Spielberg has made this film to make the audience feel the essence of war and the effects behind it. Spielberg also focussed on making it more realistic and to make the audience a part of the movie. The film is notable for its opening 24 minutes as it contains high level intensity, which depicts the Omaha beachhead assault, June 6, 1944. In this essay I will be looking at how Spielberg uses presentational devices to create ‘chaos and realism at all times. ‘ ‘Saving Private Ryan' begins with a single brass instrument playing a slow melchonly sound which gradually builds up to orchestral music. This sounds like the last stand and is reminiscent of funerals. The American flag is shown waving with light shinning through it representing patriotism, power and pride. Then a medium shot is used on an old man as he is walking towards the cemetery, in search of something, with his family walking behind him and looking at him. Then a series of establishing shots show the background imagery and a lot of crosses. The crosses are white, (symbolising innocence and purity) and are in lines as if soldiers are standing there. The camera then slowly zooms into the mans face as he has fallen to the ground, weeping beside the place he was searching for. This shows his feelings of unhappiness and shows that he is upset. This also makes the audience question, why is he in that state of emotion. The music also adds tension to the atmosphere. The sound then switches to waves and bombings as the film heads into the next scene. This scene shows a connection between the mans face, the graveyard and D-Day. It also builds tension, which is slowly portrayed with an emotional atmosphere. The next scene begins with the sound of waves crashing against Higgins boats which are taking American soldiers towards the beaches of Normandy. The audience have already been told that this action is set on June 6, 1944, the date of the d-day landings. A close up of a soldiers shaking hand is shown as he takes a drink from his water bottle. The audience may feel that he is scared, reversing the model of a typical war hero. Other closes up shots of soldiers are shown to introduce briefly the characters who will be important later in the film. The sound of soldiers vomiting and of orders being given can be heard going off. This makes the audience feel nervous on the soldier's behalf. As the doors of the boats open the audience are confronted immediately with the deaths of the soldiers. Some men slip under water to escape the bombardment and the camera follows. The sound changes as the audience see men being shot, or drowned under the weight of their own packs. An over the shoulder shot is used to show the German armies power and control as they are shooting the men. As the main character, Tom Hanks, makes his way through the beach, he goes into a state of shock as he witnesses the carnage around him. A medium shot is used to show a man searching for his arm, which has been blown off. A long shot shows the deaths of several men who are on fire. The colour of the fire stands out against the dull colours of the scene. The fact that Tom Hank's character is in a state of shock reinforces the image of a non-typical war hero. The following scene begins with a medium shot on Tom Hanks as he is brought back into reality. He looks around and sees carnage everywhere and soldiers shooting at each other. Then a long shot is used showing the imagery in the background and the essence of war. Soon after the soldiers are shown heading towards the beach, trying to get close to the Germans. This is shown in an extreme long shot which also shows the impact of them heading there and everything that was happening at the time. A medium shot is used as Captain Miller is dragging another soldier who is in pain and in desperate need of help. At this point the scene is put into slow motion as a deafening sound is played. This makes the audience feel shocked and on edge as the scene is put into slow motion. The director wants the audience to know that despite war hitting the American soldiers, they have not lost hope and courage and they are persevering with the circumstance. This shows that the Americans will continue to work with each other and try and emerge victorious against the opposing Germans. The war is then shown in several different long shots to show the chaos because of the war and to show the soldiers trying to seek refuge as some of the soldiers are in pain and agony. The close ups shows the emotions, feelings and the fear that they are having. We also see action from the Germans point of view as an over the shoulder shot is used to show the Germans advantage of shooting down at the Americans and trying to kill them. This is included to show the audience how the Germans are in control and when all the action is happening, the camera shakes, to make them feel the action. Soon after high angle shots are used to show medics on the battlefield trying to help the wounded men. Everyone is helpless as blood is scattered on the camera. The director chooses to add this to make it more realistic and exaggerated shots of soldiers being blown into pieces adds to this. Later, the Americans try to climb up the hill to shoot gunfire at the opposing soldiers at the top shooting down at them. Panning is used to show the audience what war would be like as if they were there and it makes them feel that they are involved in the action. As the American soldiers are getting into position a handheld camera is brought in to, again show the essence of war. As one soldier gets around to the side of the hill to get an accurate aim at the Germans shooting down, an extreme close up shot is used to show the level of concentration that he is using in killing the Germans. The soldier aims at the Germans and recites some prayers as he tries to get an accurate shot. He takes a deep breath before pulling the trigger of his gun and killing them. Throughout this scene, a handheld camera and panning is used as Spielberg wanted the audience to feel as part of the movie. The shooting continues in the next scene as the Americans appear to be in control. This is because they are running up the hill as the Germans at the top off the hill are still falling down. This is displayed using a medium shot. Soldiers are shown running towards their trenches in a long shot, showing that they are striving and are need of help in order to win the war despite the fact that they can now go to the top of the hill with decreased difficulty from before. This shows that they are cooperating and are working together to defeat the Germans. This symbolises to the audience that there is a ray of hope for the Americans winning. Later, German prisoners are shown being shot, as they are trying to surrender because they know that they have lost. This is shown from a medium close up angle and then is zoomed in as a close up shot so that the audience can see the agony the Germans are facing, as they are getting shot. The Americans are shown getting revenge by shooting and killing the prisoners. Spielberg chose to add this so that he could make the audience either sympathise with the Germans or feel relief and satisfaction because the allied forces are proving to be dominant at this point. Soon after screams can be heard as there are large explosions being given off, fire is everywhere burning soldiers and machine guns firing. It was carnage. The tables are turned when we see the Americans in total dominance as they begin to shoot at the German soldiers as they are shown dying and suffering. Then we see a soldier collecting sand and dust of the ground. He is holding 3 silver tins, and is filling one of them. These tins may represent three countries where he has possibly been to war at as they were labelled, Italy, Africa and France. This man is probably collecting this sand as a memorial and a remembrance to the war. One soldier is shown weeping over the death of hi fellow soldiers. He also possesses a Hitler youth knife, which could be important to him. As the scene heads for an end we see Tom Hanks in an extreme zoom in on his eyes showing his emotions as dramatic music begins to play. The battle field is shown in extreme long shots as the audience can see the devastation on it. The audience see the dead bodies scattered everywhere on the beach, with some being washed away by the shore. The scene ends with the camera zooming into Private Ryan's backpack. Saving Private Ryan is undoubtedly one of the best movies made on the d-day invasion. Spielberg clearly shows the essence of the war and has made the audience feel how war would be. The film is well known around the world and it is truly epic. It is concise to the point and the opening 24 minutes reflect on how excellent the movie is, as there is a lot of intensity. This is why it has won so many awards and nominations, topping them with 5 Oscars. Overall I think Saving Private Ryan is a great movie and Spielberg has used a wide range of camera shots and angles to get his message across to people and that is why Spielberg has been very successful with it. Spielberg clearly used a variety of presentational devices and has produced an authentic movie, which will be remembered for a long time.

Introduction to Civil Law Essay

Since Roman law there has existed an understanding regarding the structure of the body of legal norms, in that legal relations between actors (so†called legal subjects) can mainly be of two kinds. One involves equality between the players: legal subjects are free to enter into the legal relations of their choice, and they have the power to mutually influence the contents of their relation: their rights and obligations. Eventually this happens when persons enter into legal relations with each other as private parties, within their private capacities. Example I.1 When Janis and Inga decide, that Janis will buy Inga’s watch, they both have the option to decide whether or not Janis will buy and Inga will sell the watch – that is to say, whether to make the contract for the sale of Inga’s watch. The same is true of the question of what the major conditions of the deal should be – price, time and place of performance, supplementing services such as whether or not Inga will provide Janis with extra batteries, etc. All these issues are decided by the parties mutually and either of the two parties can at any time say â€Å"no† to what the other party proposes. The same is true of other kinds of private relations, e.g. whether or not they will want to start dating each other and later on be married to each other. Another, quite different set of cases is one in which this equality between the parties does not exist. In those cases one of the parties is subordinated to the other. One of the parties can compel the othe r to enter into a legal relationship with it and dictate the terms. See more: introduction paragraph example For example, when Janis has to pay taxes to the tax authority of his country, he can not say â€Å"no, I do not want to pay taxes, i.e. I do not want to enter into a tax paying relationship with you†. He cannot alter the terms of the relationship with the tax authorities either: he can not say â€Å"oh, I am willing to pay taxes, but less – or at a later time – than required†. Or, if Janis suddenly were to kill someone and the police were to arrest him, then the prosecution to charge and finally the court to sentence him, he can not tell the police, the prosecutor or the court â€Å"leave me alone, I do not want to enter into a legal relationship with you†. In both examples, the nature of the legal relationships – tax law, criminal law and criminal procedural law – is such that the legal subjects are not free to decide whether or not to enter into a legal relationship (pay taxes, be investigated, charged and sentenced) and to influence its content. It is easy to discover that in these examples the representatives of â€Å"the other side† – the tax authority officer, the policeman, the prosecutor, the judge – did not act in their private capacities like Inga when selling her watch to Janis. They acted in a capacity to represent the interests of the public rather than of the private individual. To the tax authority officer as a private person it is likely not to matter whether Janis pays taxes or not; however, to the public interest of the community (the state) whom he represents, it is important that legal subjects pay their due taxes. The policeman may personally not care if Janis killed someone â€⠀œ perhaps for so long as it was nobody the policeman personally knew – but to the wider society it is of primary importance that killers be caught, brought to justice and punished. Thereby, in all these situations it is a public interest that overwrites the equality and freedom of the other party enjoyed in private relations. It is not difficult to recognize that the public interest that prevails over the autonomy of the private individual is represented by the state. In legal relations where the parties act freely, they act in their own private interests as private individuals or in another word as civilians. Thereby, this area of law is named private law or civil law. In cases where one of the parties lacks this freedom whereas the other has a compelling power to bind the other party, it is usually for the interests of the public. Thereby, this area of law is named public law. Private or civil law covers such cases as company law, where relations are between private individuals who want to associate for a common business purpose and set up a company of their own to pursue a profit†making activity; contract law where equals are making deals between thems elves; family law, where private individuals get together for the purposes of establishing a family through marriage, having children and taking care of and raising their children; copyright law, where one individual creates a piece in the literary, artistic or scientific domain for the use and enjoyment of all others in society, etc. Public law covers such areas as public international law, constitutional law, the law of public administration, criminal law, all procedural laws such as criminal procedure and civil procedure, financial law and tax law, etc. The course Comparative administrative and constitutional law, which students have had by the time they encounter their first private law courses, was a good example of public law fields. Note that the dichotomy of private and public law does not cover the entire legal system, albeit it fairly well covers the overwhelming majority of legal relations. For example the branch of private international law (conflict of laws) deals with situations in which the subjects of the legal relationship are not the state and subordinated legal subjects such as taxpayers, criminal offenders, etc., as in public law, or private persons acting in theoretically equal positions such as in private law, but legal systems between which a choice has to be made because the case is factual ly connected to more than one legal system.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Baldrige Criterion

To many people, strategic planning is something meant only for big businesses, but it is equally applicable to any type of business entity or organization. Strategic planning is matching the strengths of an organization to available opportunities. To do this effectively, an organization need to collect, screen, and analyze information about its environment. The organization also needs to have a clear understanding of its strengths and weaknesses and develop a clear mission, goals, and objectives (Wikipedia, n. . ). Acquiring this understanding often involves more work than expected. The organization must realistically assess its current state and device a plan of action to successfully make it better. So how does an organization gauge how well they are doing in term of matching their strengths to available opportunities? A self-assessment using the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence can help an organization achieve high performance and move toward performance excellence (Balbridge. om). Even if the organization isn’t ready to apply for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the Baldrige criteria are a framework for evaluating any organization’s processes, their impact on results, and its progress toward goals and objectives. The Baldrige criterion consists of seven key categories/indicators of success. One of these categories is strategic planning and it contains ten questions that are not routinely asked on how an organization can function more efficiently. In the case of University California, Berkeley’s and University of Colorado, Boulder’s campus-wide IT strategic plan, this paper will address some of these questions as they relate to Balbridge’s criteria for assessing strategic planning. The questions I will cover are: describe how the organization sets its strategic objectives into action plans, what the organization’s action plans are, and how the organization is able to project future performance on these key performance indicators or measures. In addition, this paper will also describe the following: how each university used the strategic planning process to address their needs, what are the university’s current strategic objectives, and the goals for each objective and the timetable for achieving these objectives. First of all, one of Baldridge’s criteria in strategic planning is answering the question of the organization’s current strategic objectives, the goals for each, and the timetable for achieving them. The following are the objectives for UC Basic IT resources that are adequately supported and refreshed in order to carry out their research, teaching and learning, and administrative work. 2. Seamless, integrated, immediate, and continuous self-service access to information and services. 3. Robust technology tools to support collaboration. 4. Access to tools and data/information that enable community members to develop their own integrated solutions. The UC-Bolder defined their strategic objectives as the following: 1. Universally available wireless network including all campus buildings and strategic open common spaces as well as access to a campus VPN. 2. Faculty purchase and renewal program allowing all faculties a significant subsidy for a new computer every several years. 3. Free antivirus and encryption to protect data as well as access to a variety of major software licenses. 4. Integrated email, calendaring, and scheduling (Exchange). 5. Accessible and multi-layered IT support including both centralized and dedicated IT personnel. 6. Classroom and online IT training. Although I did not go in depth about their objectives and timetables, clearly in each report, both universities exclusively defined what their IT strategic plans and objectives are for their future success. Charles McNamara (n. d. ), a leading strategic planning advisor, stated that goals should be designed and worded as much as possible to be specific, measurable, acceptable to those working to achieve the goals, realistic, timely, extending the capabilities of those working to achieve the goals, and rewarding to them, as well. By clearly defining what their goals and needs are, both universities mirrored the Baldrige criteria for strategic planning. Secondly, one of the ten questions asked in Baldridge criteria for strategic planning is how do you ensure that financial, human, and other resources are available to support the accomplishment of your action plans? In other words, how do the universities convert their strategic objectives into action plans through resource allocations? UC Boulder satisfied that question by having approximately 300 employees in the Information Technology Services. In addition, UC Boulder has also clearly defined how they will allocate their IT resources to ensure they meet their strategic goals. According to the website UC Boulder’s IT allocation is as follows: 1. Campus programs and projects (28%) 2. Academic technologies and spaces (25%) 3. Support, operations, and services (including network and telephony) (42%) 4. Administration amp; support (5%) With UC Berkeley, however, it paints a different picture. UC Berkeley did have an IT allocation but they used the generic term â€Å"resources† throughout their strategic plan and were not at all defined as compared to UC Boulder. Their means of resource support simply stated: â€Å"Researchers and research support staff across disciplines require a minimum level of research support with technical compatibility to facilitate research and the sharing of data, and to avoid significant reinvestment and training for each new research initiative. † By far UC Berkeley does not meet Baldridge criteria by not specifically allocating their resources. With goals and objectives clearly defined by both universities, a plan of action must take place. According to McNamara (n. d. ), action planning is carefully laying out how the strategic goals will be accomplished. Action planning often includes specifying objectives, or specific results, with each strategic goal. Therefore, reaching a strategic goal typically involves accomplishing a set of objectives along the way in that sense, an objective is still a goal, but on a smaller scale. Often, each objective is associated with a tactic, which is one of the methods needed to reach an objective. Therefore, implementing a strategy typically involves implementing a set of tactics along the way in that sense, a tactic is still a strategy, but on a smaller scale. He added that action planning also includes specifying responsibilities and timelines with each objective, or who needs to do what and by when. It should also include methods to monitor and evaluate the plan, which includes knowing how the organization will know who has done what and by when. With that said each university’s plan needs to address adapting and evolving with new and emerging technology to stay in accordance with the Baldrige criteria. UC Berkeley acknowledges how new technology will affect their strategic plan with the following statement in their plan, â€Å"New and emerging technology solution-building capabilities. They attempt to address new technologies in their 2030 plan, but unlike UC Berkeley, they do not address it specifically. UC Boulder’s attempt at planning for emerging technologies: â€Å"Flagship 2030; not only will advancements in research computing across campus help facilitate growth and excellence in research, the open, collaborative, and flexible spirit in which such advancements are pursued will help ensure research computing resources allow for new approaches to research, scholarly, and creative work, and bolster structural support for research and creative programs across campus. Last but not least, the Baldrige criterion asks the question. â€Å"What are your key performance measures or indicators for tracking the achievement and effectiveness of your action plans? † I have read both the universities report in its entirety but I did not find any mention of how each university would measure the successfulness of their strategic plan. It is kind of odd to me that they didn’t mention any indicators or measurement. Is this a common practice among the IT community to not take into account the importance of measuring the effectiveness of their IT strategies? When discussing measuring for effectiveness of the IT plan at UC Berkeley, Mr. Jack McCredie explains, â€Å"It is much more of a description of an end state that we are working for. We are more goal oriented, not number oriented, in our process. One UC Berkeley goal was to wire the campus, not count the number of nodes that are actually installed. Our board doesn’t seem to require particular dashboard numbers that say we are 38 percent of the way to accomplishing our goal.    Clearly in my opinion, both of the universities failed one area of the Baldridge criteria and are not showing any efforts and thoughts into establishing proper measures of effectiveness into their plans. In conclusion, in comparing the strategic IT plans of UC Berkeley and the University of Colorado at Boulder, similarities and differences become quickly evident. When Baldridge criteria for strategic planning are taken into account, in conjunction with comparing each strategic plan, the variation in d epth of commitment clearly shows. In my opinion, each universities IT strategic plan is not superior over the other as both have faults and missing some key ingredients in successfully attaining IT strategic planning superiority. As Charles McNamara stated, â€Å"A frequent complaint about strategic plans is that they are merely to-do lists of what to accomplish over the next few years. Or, others complain that strategic planning never seems to come in handy when the organization is faced with having to make a difficult, major decision. Or, other complains that strategic planning really doesnt help the organization face the future. These complaints arise because organizations fail to conduct a thorough strategic analysis as part of their strategic planning process. Instead, planners decide to plan only from what they know now. This makes the planning process much less strategic and a lot more guesswork. Strategic analysis is the heart of the strategic planning process and should not be ignored.