Thursday, September 3, 2020

Corporate finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Corporate account - Essay Example The company’s profits have likewise expanded over the previous year and this shows a degree of progress and bettered activities. The figuring of the CAPM features that Super Cheap Auto pays out a more significant level of return than the market while the base return expected by the investors is 9.30%. Likewise dependent on the figuring of the WACC, it has been noticed that the organization requires a base return of practically 10.50% from every single new venture and this is the rate to be used for the speculation evaluations later on. Very Cheap Auto manages retailing of vehicles in Australia and New Zealand. This paper targets breaking down the organization and talking about the money related parts of the organization. The paper will start with a diagram of the organization followed by the current exercises of the organization. The paper will likewise talk about the company’s capital structure and parts of obligation and value that the organization works with. Computation of the capital resource evaluating model and the weighted normal expense of capital of the organization will likewise be examined. Excessively Cheap Auto Group Limited is a retailer of vehicle items. The organization takes into account the business sectors of Australia and New Zealand and gives the nation amazing brands of vehicles just as car parts. The organization falls under the NAICS codes of 441310 †which manages the Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores. Likewise the SIC Codes that the organization works under are: 5013 †Motor Vehicles Supplies and New Parts Industry Report, 5531 †Auto and Home Supply Stores Industry Report and 5731 - Radio, Television, and Consumer Electronics Stores industry report (High Beam Business, 2010). The organization was begun as a car parts and extras retailer in Queensland in 1974. Throughout the years the organization has seen tremendous development and now works in more than 212 outlets and the in pretty much every state

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Google Versus Microsoft Clash of the Technology Titans Free Essays

Google established by Larry Page, Sergey Brin and built up at 1998, they center around participation in internet providers and items, for example, search, programming and online notice and cell phone. Microsoft Corporation is a product company that improves fabricates, produce PC, gracefully, licenses and help assortment items and administration include to figuring. They are found by Bill Gate and Paul Allen at 1975, they are the most remarkable American programming organization worldwide and pull in different client. We will compose a custom exposition test on Google Versus Microsoft: Clash of the Technology Titans or then again any comparative theme just for you Request Now Microsoft and Google have been the most remarkable innovation brands worldwide in America up to this point. Them two have explicit highlights, accomplish available and pull in numerous clients on the planet. In any case, every one of them needs to be on the top and commands the innovation advertise so the contention is certainly occur. 1) Define and look at the business techniques and plans of action of Google and Microsoft. Google were just a pursuit organization around then, however with new framework PageRank search calculations which are broke down connection between sites by the quantity of explicit pages and the basic inside those pages. Likewise, with web based promoting administration, Google can acquire different benefits like posting the substance of any organization on the highest point of site, utilizing Pay-Per-Click (PPC, etc. Likewise, the organization degrees framework and receive procurement that license them to require the quickest pursuit paces and assortment of Web-based items. With those systems, they cause Google to turn into the best looking through assistance on the planet. Besides, Google accepts that online application will be huge organizations later on, in light of the fact that its middle ventures and search-promoting business develop. Additionally, with the advancement of web may permit registering errands so as to be implemented through the site, we can sit on PC and remote control just as spare server farms instead of our work area. It is called as distributed computing and it is center to Google’s plan of action pushing ahead. Microsoft accomplished available through the quality of its Window working framework and Office work area profitability applications. Likewise, they broaden their working framework and embrace securing bunches of organization to degree their situation just as produce different items that blend progressively explicit highlights. Moreover, they gracefully assortment programming for work areas and servers. They are additionally corporate with cell phone enterprises. Microsoft and its items are all things considered staples for organizations and clients hope to build up their profitability with PC. For the plan of action, Microsoft has accomplished in foundation the model of work area registering. Microsoft’s protest is innovative work the Internet however they have to persuade clients to continue utilizing the work area as the point of convergence for registering undertakings. 2) Has the Internet assumed control over the PC work area as the focal point of the activity? Why or why not? No, the web can't be taken over by the PC work area. As a result of, customer may utilize cell phone, scratch pad, etc so as to interface web quickly at anyplace. Particularly, 4G is as of late discharged so it permits client can get to web at the quickest speed or Wi-Fi is likewise a most ideal approach to associate web. With the beneficial outcome of web, client can spare, download and store information which is called as distributed computing or send information to other individual on our cell phone or scratch pad. In this manner, customer doesn't have to invest loads of energy in work area to perform registering undertakings. In this way, the web makes people’s life become simpler and agreeable. 3) Why has Microsoft endeavored to procure Yahoo? How can it influence its plan of action? Do you accept this is a decent move? Microsoft needs to secure Yahoo since they want to improve its Internet nearness. Yippee is web organization which is basic improvement in online interface, Search motor Yahoo, internet based life site, ad, Yahoo! New, etc, they are one of the most well known brand around the world. In this way, if Microsoft procures Yahoo, they can improve in advancement, news, administration, website composition. What's more, Microsoft needs to demolish the danger of a publicizing bargain among Google and Yahoo. Google is a one of the most perilous adversary to Microsoft. Additionally Google’s innovation continues improving and emerge heaps of benefit per search. Consequently Microsoft needs to decrease the improvement just as nearness of Google available. Going to Microsoft’s new objective, they should accomplish in enhance and disturb in search, win in show commercial, rehash gateway and internet based life encounters. Hurray is an organization that comprise these components and it appropriates to Microsoft’s crusade. They would concentrate on building up the web by gaining Yahoo. In any case, work area processing from Microsoft ought to be influenced on the grounds that the piece of the pie of work area available is diminishing altogether while the significant of web is more extensive. As a result, the piece of the overall industry in Microsoft would be gone down as well. As I would like to think, this is a decent move for Microsoft. In spite of the fact that, the quantity of client for work area registering is diminishing fundamentally yet in the event that they obtain effective Yahoo which is center around web. Microsoft can broaden their item and administration into new ways. Web is developing so quick step by step and pulling in countless clients around the world, so Microsoft ought to follow the necessities of clients to expand the piece of the pie just as income. 4) What is the hugeness of Google Apps to Google’s future achievement? Google Apps is a progression of Web-based applications that incorporate Gmail, quick informing, schedule, word preparing, introduction and spreadsheet applications (Google Docs) and instruments for building communitarian Web destinations. These frameworks are more easier and not unpredictable as opposed to Microsoft’s Office applications. Google offers those applications for nothing to emerge alluring and improve the Google’s nearness available. Then, client must compensation for Microsoft’s Office applications and they are very costly. In this way, with Google Apps, they can contend and limit the intensity of Microsoft. What's more, with the improvement of web, Google permit client download their application for nothing on web. Additionally, Google Apps communicate with Iphone, Galaxy S3,4 to carry their applications closer to customer. Google offers Premier versions which is cost $50 every year per client while Microsoft offers $500 per individual to claim their applications. In this way, Google offers a less expensive cost than Microsoft. Later on, Google Apps may draw in numerous buyer instead of Microsoft and assist Google with increasing more benefit and push up the intensity of Google. Be that as it may, Microsoft Office had been assembled and spent different dollars for a difficult year prior to inquire about and create, draw in countless client and they realize how to utilize these application. Thus, buyer might be difficult to change to Google Apps in light of the fact that it is another frameworks, client needs to figure out how to utilize it and most likely generative mistake at whenever. In this way, Microsoft Office is a major hindrance that forestalls the improvement of Google Apps later on. 5) Would you use Google Apps rather than Microsoft Office applications for figuring undertakings? Why or why not? No, I would not utilize Google Apps rather than Microsoft Office application. As I would like to think, Google Apps is a serious new framework, it is less complex and less expensive than Microsoft Office. Nonetheless, Google Apps is intended for clients who use processing task at the first run through. It is about principal form of Microsoft so shopper will figure out how to utilize registering task proficiency. Be that as it may, Microsoft Office had been existed for quite a while back and pulled in numerous shopper just as significant level of fulfillment. These days, the vast majority use Microsoft Office as their first decision, they can pay for them, and even it is very costly. In any case, the activity and framework from Microsoft Office are proficient and collaborate completely with figuring errands. In any event, when purchaser utilizes Macbook, Imac, they download programming from Microsoft like window 7, 8 to utilize Microsoft Office. In spite of the fact that, Apple make iWork yet there are little individuals utilize that framework. In this way, I will follow Microsoft Office and keep on utilizing it as my best decision. 6) Which organization and plan of action do you accept will win in the epic battle? Legitimize your answer Both of Microsoft and Google are the most well known available around the world. Microsoft has fabricated and created registering assignments for quite a while prior. Likewise, their item and administration are draw fascination from numerous clients, they fulfill consumer’s need and what they need. Likewise, Microsoft expands to versatile industry by coordinate with Nokia. They are additionally making loads of uncommon programming that numerous purchasers utilize, for example, window 7, 8, XP. Microsoft accepts that work area processing will rule the market later on yet with the created web, work area figuring is do not utilize anymore. Web is presently the most significant for shopper. Google is an organization that excellent being developed their item and administration identified with web. With web crawler, promoting, web-base, Google Apps, Google App Engine (permit developer makes their own application), they permit client performs processing task through web, client can utilize cell phone, journal to interface web and incorporate with these applications. With this plan of action of Google, they draw in different clients worldwide and improve the nearness of Google. Subsequently, Google may win in this contest contrast with Microsoft End Microsoft is more grounded being developed figuring errand, work area and programming. They have fulfilled customer and pulled in numerous clients. Be that as it may, Google makes all processing task through web. This is a thing that Microsoft can't be better t

Friday, August 21, 2020

Application project 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Application venture 1 - Essay Example Promoting really can assist them with choosing the best thing. How else you would realize what toothpaste to pick. Do you have sufficient opportunity and cash to attempt all the items? Besides, new items show up every day, and the assignment of commercial is to educate purchasers regarding these progressions and enhancements. That is the reason promoting causes you to purchase precisely what you need. Speaker 1: Or it encourages you to purchase what you didn't require at all and, also, couldn't bear, however notice made you get it! That is the thing that I am discussing. Before Apple appearance no one idea that phones can be a piece of picture, and no one would accept that a student can set aside cash for snacks to purchase IPhone in light of the fact that she accepts that it will make her look at cooler without flinching of her companions. What's more, that is because of publicizing which doesn't advise however convinces purchasers with mental instruments. That is commercialization, when individuals quit picking deliberately however get affected by the intensity of brand which is made with the assistance of promotion. Speaker 2: Look, showcase has showed up when the progress showed up. Before Internet and TV period individuals were selling their items with the assistance of splendid signs which were subbed by TV and Internet ads. It is a straightforward development. What's more, all things considered individuals purchased the items which spoke to them most and were pertinent to their comprehension of value. The young lady with IPhone watches the remainder of the phones' advertisements, and has a free decision which one to purchase. It is only that Apple sells results of high caliber that are somewhat costly for understudies, yet the relationship among quality and cost is completely ordinary. Speaker 1: I comprehend your point, yet indeed before brilliant plugs individuals didn't understand what number of things they need! Have you seen these advertisements of beauty care products, dresses, devices with youthful and flawless models? Publicizing makes individuals imagine that

Sunday, June 7, 2020

The Affordable Care Act Should be Reformed, not Repealed - 275 Words

The Affordable Care Act Should be Reformed, not Repealed (Research Paper Sample) Content: Students Name: Professors Name: Course: Date: The Affordable Care Act should be reformed, not repealed The Affordable Care Act, just like any other Federal Law, has its flaws. However, a close examination of the act reveals that Americans have benefited from affordable health services. Overall, the ACA has helped the government and policy makers to expand insurance cover and scope of health services. The move to adopt the ACA has been applauded by the majority of Americans who believe that it was an effective strategy that the government used to shift from a financing system to an institution that rewards health care providers for their ability to provide high quality services. Based on the pieces of evidences provided by researchers from different fields of studies, this paper argues in support of the statement the Affordable Care Act should be reformed, not repealed. Hardcastle et al. (317) in their article "Improving the Population's Health: the Affordable Care Act and the Importance of Integration" indicated that the primary goal of healthcare is to improve health outcomes through the provision of effective medical services. Furthermore, the researchers indicated that public health systems must remain committed to those plans that can improve the overall health of the population. While health care services receive huge funding and support from politicians and policymakers, public health in most cases are starved of resources. Therefore, the only way to reduce morbidity and mortality rates is by shifting the attention of politicians and policymakers to public health services. With ACA, the federal government has been able to maximize positive health outcomes. The integration of private health care and public health has also helped service provider to ensure equal distribution of resources and health services. In a different study, Saltzman, Christine, and Alain (2095) demonstrated that ACA is a reflection of the kind of dominance health care has over public health. The ACA has become an important tool used by the US government to enhance access to health care services mainly through reforms in insurance scheme. By repealing the ACA: (1) the US government will not have the opportunity to fulfil its primary goal of improving health outcomes; and (2) the government will simply be displaying its non-commitment overall health issues. Politicians will be proving to the entire world that they are driven by their desires and not the health needs of the population. On the contrary, Bauchner (29) in the article "Health Care in the United States: A Right or a Privilege indicated that the Affordable Care Act has negative economic and social effects on Americans. On the perspective of negative impacts, the researcher indicated that the increasing family premiums means that the employer-sponsored market will continue to operate at higher costs than the expected level. The increase in costs at base level will compel households to seek for alternative health care services. The same effect will be seen across individual markets where according to Eun-Cheol (750), the new rules and regulations will lead to a general increase in health premium for individual consumers and households. Despite all the contrary opinions, studies have shown that the ACA is an important factor towards effective health delivery. Therefore, repealing ACA means doing away with all the essential subsections touching on ObamaCare, Medicaid, and Medicare. In other words, the Affordable Care Act should be ...

Sunday, May 17, 2020

Relationship Between Transformational And Transformational...

The relationship and transformational theories of leadership are aligned with my personal development plan because the Multifactorial Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) test result shown me high score on the leadership characters, which, indicate that I have charismatic and inspirational leadership qualities. Next, test scores suggestive of individualized consideration (role modelling), intellectual stimulation (assumptions solutions), and contingent (creating opportunity). When I understood the transformational leadership theory, then I realized that, Transformational leadership is a process that modify and transforms people. It concerns with emotions, values, ethics, and long-term goals. Transformational leadership is concerned with†¦show more content†¦Finally, doing this will provide the greatest satisfaction for the workers and ultimately, who are satisfied with their work will most likely provide excellent productivity to the organization. The Authentic Leadership Self-Assessment Questionnaire (ALSAQ) result shows that I have a high authentic total score along with high scores on self-awareness, an internalized moral perspective, which evocative and providing meaning, challenge, taking responsibility. The balanced processing, and relational transparency, which indicates I value the equality and morality. All these features indicate authentic leadership is a complex process. If we look at the terminology defined by the books on authentic leadership. They wrote it is a complex as well as an interpersonal relational process based on many factors which nurtures its development. If we study the authentic leadership characters like passion, compassion, consistency and connectness with followers. Which shows authentic leadership as a process centered on the interactions between leaders and followers. ALSAQ result tells me that I have an authentic leadership behavior. I like authentic leadership from Martin Luther King Jr. because a sense of right and wrong being his guiding factor. Authentic leaders listen to the inner conscience to guide them in decision making and taking a stand on controversial issues. In this way,

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Synthetic Psychoactive Drugs Commonly Called...

Amphetamines, a group of synthetic psychoactive drugs commonly called psychostimulants or central nervous system stimulants, were first synthesized by L. Edeleano, a German chemist in 1887 (Amphetamine). This group of drugs includes amphetamine, dextroamphetamine and methamphetamine. The racemic ÃŽ ±-methylphenethylamine, a version of amphetamine, was later discovered in 1910 by Dale and Barger (Heal). This version was synthesized in 1927 by G. A. Alles while trying to find an alternative for ephedrine. In 1935, Benzedrine was released onto the market as a treatment for narcolepsy, mild depression, and a multitude of other disorders. Two years later in 1937, the drug, now known by the generic name of ‘Amphetamine,’ became available for†¦show more content†¦Each airman would simply need the oversight of their commander and flight surgeon, as well has having routine physical examinations, explicit guidance for the circumstances under which the drugs could be us ed, and a signed consent form (Caldwell). In January of 1984 the use of amphetamines and â€Å"go-pills† were turned into Air Fore Regulation 161-33 (Jedick). Amphetamine, also known by the IUPAC name of 1-phenylopropan 2-amine, contains the functional groups methyl (CH3) and amine (NH2). These functional groups cause the drug to release the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotine and norepinephrine from the nerve endings in the brain (Iversen). This happens because of the similar structure to dopamine. Once the neurotransmitters have been released, the amphetamines cause a buildup of them around the synapse and plug the transporter molecules preventing their re-uptake. This causes a flooding of extra neurotransmitters in the brain. Since amphetamines are so similar in structure to dopamine, the drug is able to enter the terminal button through the neural membrane as well as through the dopamine transporters. The amphetamine molecules then trick the mind into believing that it is dopamine being taken up. Once in the presynaptic neuron, the amphetamines, disguised as dopamine, push the extra dopamine into the synaptic gap, and the transporte rs are forced to work in reverse, producing even

Supplier Relationship

Question: Write an essay on Supplier Relationship. Answer: Supplier relationship is one of the major concerns for any organization, in which reseller organization buys products from the supplier in order to resell the products. Sourcing and selecting the right suppliers and maintaining strong relationship with them are the main priorities of the retail organizations towards successfully running the organizations (Islam et al., 2013). The organization that is chosen for this study is Popular Holdings, which is a distributer and retailers of books in the local education market. The scandal that this organization has faced was to choose their preferred suppliers depending on their personal relationship and not depending on the quality and price of the products of the suppliers, which led to huge negative reputation in the market and even distressed suppliers attention (de Souza et al., 2014). The study will represent issues related to supplier selection criteria of this organization. The study will recommend appropriate criteria to be applied in the supplier selection criteria of this organization. Through analyzing the importance of ICT in purchasing operation, the study will demonstrate ICT in improving the purchasing operation of the organization. Lastly, the study will also recommend appropriate tools to be considered in analyzing the cost of purchasing of this organization. Key Information of Popular Holdings Popular Holdings is a renowned Singapore based retail organization that is engaged in publishing, distributing and retails different kinds of books in the local market of Singapore (Popularworld - Home. 2016). The organization operates in international markets through their subsidiaries in those markets. The organization also provides assessment titles, stationary products and multimedia products. It is the largest bookstore within Southeast Asia that has almost 143 retail outlets in all over the world (Thai, 2013). The organization has multiple number of sources from which the organization get multimedia sources and stationary products. The organization also uses global suppliers in getting books like autobiography. The main competitors of this organization are MPH Group and Page one that also design and sells different type of books in the market of Singapore. The goal of the organization is to provide quality books and multimedia products to the customers and provide it at value f or money price. The strategy of this organization can be seen in provide all newly published books and e-learning facility to the overseas students. The organization offers their products at affordable price because they value for the money of the customers. Supplier Selection Criteria Issue Popular Holding Group sells books, multimedia products and stationary products to the customers. Though the organization publish their own books and sell it the local market, the organization needs suppler in getting various type of story books for the adult customers. Apart from that, the organization also needs audiovisual products to be supplied by the suppliers. In order to match the syllabus of student of different countries, the organization needs international suppliers, who will provide books by matching the syllabus of the students (Sohal Rahman, 2013). Furthermore, the organization is trying to expand its business through providing foods and beverages to the customers. Manufacturing of these kinds of products would need extra cost, which will be too costly in operating the business. Therefore, the organization needs supplies of readymade products that this organization resells to the customers. The purchasing goal of this organization is to get quality products from the supplier so that it can meet the demand of the customers properly. Apart from that, the goal of purchasing is also to get the products at lowest cost so that it can minimize the cost of organization. However, the organization uses multiple source suppliers for getting different types of products in all the different areas of their business. In this situation, the organization is becoming failed towards maintaining good relationship with all the suppliers. The organization is not able in efficiently prioritizing their existing suppliers as their product standard. Apart from that, the organization has lack of information communication technology towards providing authentic inventory information to the global suppliers. Therefore, the suppliers are becoming failed in providing products timely and according to the needs of the organization. Lack of ability of the organization in prioritizing the supplier sometim es leads to wrong selection in terms of costly suppliers that increases the cost of the organization. Appropriate Criteria and Decision in supplier selection Cost Analyzing Cost analyzing of the suppliers should be one of the prime activities of Popular Holdings in selecting the suppliers from local as well as from global markets. The organization should look at the competitive pricing of the suppliers and thus, choose such supplier only who provides products at lowest cost so that cost of company is minimized (Fernie Sparks, 2014). The organization should also analyze the financial stability of the organization towards selecting right suppliers out of many suppliers. Quality and safety Not only should the price of the suppliers, but also Popular Holdings incorporate quality of the products of suppliers before purchasing the products from their suppliers. The organization sometimes faces quality issue due to immediate selection of suppliers and therefore, they do not get time for analyzing the quality of the products. In this way, the poor quality of the products may disappoint the customers by decreasing the customer value. The organization should maintain a safety standard for their product to be sold to the customers, so the purchasing manager should follow those standard in choosing the suppliers. Delivery Due to global selection business, the organization has to select suppliers globally. The organization has to select those suppliers only who will be able to timely deliver the products to the customers. This will increase the value of the products to the organization through keeping its time value. Service Popular Holdings should select the suppliers based on the ability of the suppliers in providing service on the products provided to the organization. If the products come from the supplier seems to have any issues, they should take it in return through promising to provide right products (Dyckhoff, Lackes Reese, 2013). Convenience The ways, the suppliers would provide the products, should be in convenient way. The organization should select the suppliers based on their convenience in providing the products. The organization should choose only those suppliers that use right vehicles towards providing timely delivery of products to the customers. Risk evaluation In order to evaluate the feasibility of the supplier selection, an organization has to evaluate the risk associated with it (Monczka et al., 2015). Popular Holdings should track all the records associated with the suppliers in identifying the risk with them and accordingly minimizing the risk through selecting right suppliers. Purchasing Management Concept for ICT According to Musso and Risso, (2013), the concerned organization has to effectively deal with both inbound and outbound logistics, which will eventually enhance the firms distribution system. On the other hand, Frehe and Teuteberg, (2014) pointed out that ICT tools help in centralizing and communicating with the suppliers in real time basis, which helps in improving the lead time management. Information communication technology (ICT) tools are highly important for accessing relevant and important information on time for getting competitive advantage over the competitor organizations (Frehe Teuteberg, 2014). ICT tools will help the Popular Holdings in interacting with different other organization in terms of supply chain management through efficient data sharing, exchange of data in high speed towards meeting customer demands. Using ICT tool the organization will be able to provide timely information to the supplier organizations and thus, they will be able to provide timely delivery of the products to the customers. Apart from that, the ICT tools facilitate the organization in communicating authentic information about the inventory to the suppliers so that they can supply right amount of products to the organization (Fadiya et al., 2015). It will improve the purchasing operation of the organization through minimizing the waste of products due to overburden of supplied p roducts. ICT Tools Bar Code Tool Bar Code readers will be effectively useful in implementing automatic data capture system, which improves the accuracy and speed of data entry in the computers (Musso Risso, 2013). It will also improve in counting the raw materials stored in the inventory and count the finished goods. Thus, it will improve in accessing the exact amount of products needed from the suppliers. Apart from that, the bar code reader tools also can record the purchasing requirement of the organization 5 to 7 times quicker than the normal employees of the organization can, and thus, it would reduce the labor cost of the organization and increase the reliability of the organization in assuming demand of products to be purchased from suppliers. ICT tools also communicate the right motto of the organization with the supplier so that the supplier can provide products by meeting all the requirements of the customers. RFID ICT tool RFID ICT tool will facilitate Popular Holdings in bulk reading of organizational inventory. This technology will also help the organization in tracing the products throughout the process of supply chain management. ICT tools also help in reducing the cost of the supply chain management as it reduces the labor cost due to bulk reading of information of the organizational products (Tan et al., 2012). Purchasing Cost Analysis The concerned organization is not following centralized procurement technique and therefore redundancy of raw materials is quite evident. On the other hand, the organization is not well equipped with real time inventory monitoring through e-technology. The organization follows traditional inventory management techniques and therefore, the system is not proven to be up-to-date (Santos et al., 2016). The organization is basically multi-source based retail outlet, which is not completely aware of allocating and disintegrating its updated inventory. Therefore, in terms of corporate sustainability and minimizing wastage of procurement, the organization needs to incorporate certain techniques for purchasing cost analysis. Purchase Cost Techniques 4.1.1 Cost Analysis An organization needs to analyze preliminary the actual cost to purchase regarding the good that needs to be supplied (Chen Guo, 2015). This is because cost is related to storage, handling and delivery. The organization needs to centralize the types of sources of supply so that handling cost does not exceed further in terms of human resource. The actual cost of procurement is consisted of cost of supplies and cost of handling, where the later must not exceed more than 7 percent than the earlier (Simchi-Levi et al., 2013). Maverick Spending An organization that follows purchase requisition procedure, it eventually increases the cost of procurement (Fayard et al., 2012). Therefore, it is required for the organization to take care of the type of inventory management and implement ad hoc purchase technique in future. The maverick purchases will be identified and filtered out that will reduce the cost of procurement. Centralized Warehousing The organization follows multisource supply and therefore, each of the inventories is categorized. This has increased the purchasing cost for the organization. Therefore, it is recommended that the organization have to reduce the cost of purchasing by centralizing its warehousing so that handling cost is reduced. Activity Based Costing An organization needs to follow activity based costing so that the consumption cost of actual supplies is reduced (Kang, 2015). The cost of each day has to be organized in terms of concurrent activities, so that the final cost of handling inventory is reduced, which will be same for Popular Holdings. Bidding System The concerned organization has expanded from the past to a large extent and therefore, it has created good reputation in the market. Therefore, in order to reduce purchasing cost, it needs to follow bidding technique, where the lowest bid will be granted. The supplier with lowest cost will be granted and it will reduce the cost of inventory. Conclusion While concluding the study, it can be said that Popular Holdings has multiple source of suppliers and they are unable to maintain strong relationship with the suppliers. On the other hand, due to global sourcing of suppler, the organization is unable to provide timely information to them and prioritizing the suppliers. However, the organization can be able to mitigate this supplier selection issues through adopting appropriate supplier selection criteria. The organization will choose those suppliers, who will be able to provide quality products in timely manners with lowest price. In order to maintain consistent relationship with the suppliers, Popular Holdings should incorporate ICT tools in improving purchasing operation of the organization. ICT tool like bar code reader will facilitate the organization in automatic counting of raw materials in the inventory and accordingly place order of purchasing to suppliers. On the other hand, RFID would facilitate the organization in recordin g bulk information about the purchasing of the organization in shortest possible time. Purchasing cost analysis tools would facilitate the organization in prioritizing the suppliers to be selected in terms of cost benefit analysis. In order to analyze purchase cost, the organization should use centralized warehouse system that will keep record of each of the inventory of the organization. Activity based costing will reduce the give an accurate estimation of overall cost. References Chen, L., Guo, Z. (2015, September). Logistics Cost Control Performance Evaluation of Third Party Logistics Enterprises. InFifth International Conference on Transportation Engineering. de Souza, R., Goh, M., Lau, H. C., Ng, W. S., Tan, P. S. (2014). Collaborative urban logisticssynchronizing the last mile a Singapore research perspective.Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences,125, 422-431. Dyckhoff, H., Lackes, R., Reese, J. (Eds.). (2013).Supply chain management and reverse logistics. Springer Science Business Media. Fadiya, O., Georgakis, P., Chinyio, E., Nwagboso, C. (2015). Decision-making framework for selecting ICT-based construction logistics systems. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology,13(2), 260-281. Fayard, D., Lee, L. S., Leitch, R. A., Kettinger, W. J. (2012). Effect of internal cost management, information systems integration, and absorptive capacity on inter-organizational cost management in supply chains. Accounting, Organizations and Society,37(3), 168-187. Fernie, J., Sparks, L. (2014).Logistics and retail management: emerging issues and new challenges in the retail supply chain. Kogan Page Publishers. Frehe, V., Teuteberg, F. (2014). The Role of ICT in Green Logistics: A Systematic Literature Review. InInformation Technology in Environmental Engineering(pp. 53-65). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Islam, D. M. Z., Meier, J. F., Aditjandra, P. T., Zunder, T. H., Pace, G. (2013). Logistics and supply chain management.Research in Transportation Economics,41(1), 3-16. Kang, M. (2015). Activity-based Costing Research on Enterprise Logistics Cost Management.Business and Management Research,4(2), p18. Monczka, R., Handfield, R., Giunipero, L., Patterson, J. (2015).Purchasing and supply chain management. Cengage Learning. Musso, F., Risso, M. (2013). ICT Innovation for Buyer-Seller Relationships in International Supply Chains. InDriving the Economy through Innovation and Entrepreneurship(pp. 659-670). Springer India. Popularworld - Home. (2016). Popularworld.com. Retrieved 10 June 2016, from https://www.popularworld.com/en/index.php Santos, T. F. D., Gonalves, A. T. P., Leite, M. S. A. (2016). Logistics cost management: insights on tools and operations.International Journal of Logistics Systems and Management,23(2), 171-188. Simchi-Levi, D., Chen, X., Bramel, J. (2013).The logic of logistics: theory, algorithms, and applications for logistics management. Springer Science Business Media. Sohal, A. S., Rahman, S. (2013). Use of third party logistics services: an Asia-Pacific perspective. InHandbook of Global Logistics(pp. 45-67). Springer New York. Tan, M. I. I., Razali, R. N., Desa, M. I. (2012). Factors influencing ICT adoption in halal transportations: A case study of Malaysian halal logistics service providers.International Journal of Computer Science Issues,9(1), 62-71. Thai, V. V. (2013). Logistics service quality: conceptual model and empirical evidence.International Journal of Logistics Research and Applications,16(2), 114-131. Watanuki, M. (2015). Review of logistics service regulations for freight forwarding businesses: what should be addressed for a better logistics regulatory framework?.World Bank Policy Research Working Paper, (7401).

Monday, April 20, 2020

Religious and Secular Terrorism Analyzing Differences and Points of Intersection

Introduction Terrorism is a methodical use of terror, particularly, as a method of compulsion. No unanimously approved, lawfully binding, criminal laws of the explanation of terrorism exist at present. Terrorism is commonly defined according to the violent actions done with the intention of creating fear/terror.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Religious and Secular Terrorism: Analyzing Differences and Points of Intersection specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These are committed for religious reasons, political causes, deliberately or in disregard of the protection of civilians. Today terrorism takes different shapes, and it is important to note that not all forms of terrorism are identical, as there are noteworthy disparities between two basic types of terrorist acts, which are religious and secular terrorism. In this paper, we will compare religious and secular terrorism from the perspective of their origins, aims and manifestations. We will also try to outline the border between religion and religious terrorism and analyze secular motives in religious terrorism. Despite the names of two kinds of terrorism draw a neat border between them, we will see that these two terrorism types have much in common and that these names can be considered somewhat generalizing. Religious Terrorism: Essence and Justification â€Å"Religious terrorism is terrorism by those whose motivations and aims have a predominant religious character or influence† (Stern, 2003). Religious terrorists find inspiration and justification for their actions in religious scriptures; committing terrorist acts is seen by them as their duty to God, and the acts themselves are viewed as the way to execute the God’s will (Al-Khattar, p.5). Most of the religiously convicted individuals who indulge themselves in acts of terrorism are always eager to attain a specific desired task. Religious terrorism attacks have been boos ted to some extent as a result of technological advancement. Religious terrorism can be articulated in two ways. The first one is where violence from politics through terrorism is applied in solving of religious problems. Whenever political pressure becomes more dominant, it normally causes a change towards the religious performances. The second form is where religious resolutions are applied towards politically related problems. These practices are total efforts for justification of terrorism. The activities are also performed for attraction and motivation of terrorists all way through religious expressions. A big share of terrorist acts committed in the World is associated with Islam; however, there is ground to state that the religious terrorist acts in the world are conducted by followers of different religions.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For example, in 1982, suicidal bombings related to terrorism attacks were experienced globally; in this episode, the Islamic groups were attributable to eight percent of the cases of terrorism that happened (Pape and Feldman, pp.202-203); this is not only limited to Muslims but also other believers from different religious doctrines. Diverse religions have various correspondences basically on how they should handle each other during disagreements. These disagreements to a certain extreme may facilitate terrorism activities amongst people. The guidelines on how individuals should perform their terrorism activities are based on divine writings. Different people in various countries have diverse means of interpreting spiritual inscriptions. This advantage helps in the justification of many conflicting perspectives. It has been a habit that people’s elucidation of the spiritual scripts is perverted. However terrorism activities are thus motivated on religious basis. Individuals have had their main interest bei ng what they can gain rather than the teachings they can give to fellow colleagues. This fault activity is shared, and therefore common among various individuals from different religious doctrines, for instance: Christians, Jews and even Muslims. This fault accentuates on personal achievements exceeding the interests of others. It’s nonetheless believed that having this kind of behavior is compensated. People’s exploitation on others in progression of their own egocentric concerns with pretext to religion promotes violence. Terrorism activities crop up from the acts of violence. These kinds of teachings are given to people in different religious canons. Whenever religion is taken beyond the boundary, then terrorism activities are highly boosted. Contemporarily, following the rejection of ideas for example the great rights of emperors and the augmentation of people’s patriotism, terrorism would regularly be linked to revolution, nihilism as well as activist affai rs of state. Conversely, ever since the 1980s, there has been a drastic rise in the terrorism activities provoked at large by religion. Secular Terrorism: Essence and Justification Considering the name of the phenomenon, secular terrorism does not have religious issues as a motive: secular terrorist acts have political background and political targets. Secular terrorism was used by a number of political leaders in the early centuries, for example, during the French revolution. In the nineteenth century, German as well as Italian main patriotic citizens also often practiced secular terrorism.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Religious and Secular Terrorism: Analyzing Differences and Points of Intersection specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In Russia, a group â€Å"Narodnaya Volya† (â€Å"People’s Will†) also performed a campaign that entailed a lot of terrorist activities (Cronin, p.123); the vi olent campaign of struggles and assassinations was meant to protest against dictatorship in Russia. These however emerged to be role models to some comparable groups that were formed such as Serbs before the First World War. Secular terrorism entails some widespread oratory names commonly called referring to the victims. For example ‘holy terror’ manifestos which is called to refer to the description of persons who are within the society of religious terrorists. â€Å"They are identified by such names to expose that they are being demeaned and also dehumanized. Some other dehumanizing terms include ‘infidels’, ‘dogs’, ‘children of Satan’ and mud people† (Hoffmann, p.89). They intentionally used these terms to disregard everything and offer a justification that terrorism is significant and thus considerable. These people also depict the fatalities as being worthless and not being a human being. This removes all the demarcatio ns against brutality as well as atrocities. Religious Terrorism versus Secular Terrorism The â€Å"religious motive versus secular motive† difference is the principal and the evident distinction between two discussed types of terrorism; however, it gives birth to a range of other differences. First and foremost, secular terrorism lacks a constituency: Religious and secular terrorists also differ in their constituencies. Whereas secular terrorists attempt to appeal to a constituency variously composed of actual and potential sympathizers, members of the communities they purport to ‘defend’ or the aggrieved people for whom they claim to speak for; religious terrorists are at once activists and constituents engaged in what they regard as a total war (Hoffman, 1998). They normally look for an appeal to their own constituency. As a result the self-controls on aggression which are inflicted on secular terrorism by the wish to call to a tacitly helpful constituency are not pertinent in religious terrorism. This characteristic accommodates all individuals including non-members of the terrorists within the religious faction. It not only permits but also boosts vast bloodshed activities among individuals. Since this kind of terrorism depends on the targets, this feature broadens up to all the different classes of objectives.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Considering the essence of religious terrorism, it is not unexpected that religious terrorists never want to see themselves as mechanisms in the organization significantly correlated to providing defense to the existing system, which is opposed to the secular terrorists. They however would want to consider themselves as foreign defenders on the lookout for elementary transformations in within the present array. This isolation feature is advantageous to the terrorist’s part. It helps them to demonstrate vast, disparaging and fatal kinds of terrorist operations. It also enables them to carry out more deadly operations as compared to secular terrorists. They moreover grip and explore all with the inclusion of unrestricted opponents for molestation. In religious terrorism, the concerned terrorists commence with performance and accomplishment of the assigned task (Rapoport, 1984). Since they are granted an immediate obligation, their first activity is violence and complete destruc tion. This directly proves that this type of terrorism is carried out magnificently and perfectly. It’s not also restricted by either political or ethical limitations that may affect the terrorists. This therefore justifies the presence of vast terrorism activities related to various religious doctrines. Secular terrorists always consider the antagonism and the violent behavior among themselves as proper means of initiating rectification towards a fault. This happens if the mistake that could have developed is being in-cooperated into the current system. This weakness is believed to be altered. They also consider violence as a way of stimulating the establishment of a latest move within the system. This acts as a great justification towards terrorism activities. As a whole, it is possible to state that the essence of violence and aggression is different in cases of religious and secular terrorism. For religious terrorism, aggression is predominantly a sacramental action, or c elestial responsibility carried out as a response to specific theological demands. Because of this, terrorist acts often assume transcendental aspects, while the executors are accordingly un-constrained by political, ethical and realistic restraints that could have effects on other terrorists. This leads us to another criterion that demonstrates the difference between religious and secular terrorism: the scale of harm and damage which is considered to be much smaller in case of secular terrorist acts: secular terrorism infrequently attempts haphazard killing on colossal scales since such approaches are inconsonant with goals that are politically oriented (Hoffman, p.89). Religious terrorism normally seeks to eliminate a largely defined class of opponents, and accordingly regards the large scale aggression, as ethically indispensable and as a measure to achieve certain objectives Religious Terrorism and Secular Issues It would be quite unreasonable to state that religion motives are the only component of such phenomenon as religious terrorism. Today it is quite difficult to define the border between secular and religious issues in religious terrorism, as sometimes terrorist acts have political aims, even more so political and religious issues may intersect in the confrontation, for example, like in case of Arabs and citizens of Israel. Besides, some scholars consider that one of the sources of modern religious terrorism is the so-called â€Å"McDonaldization† of the world, or the prevalence of capitalism: for example, Barber states that Jihad reactions are born by the World that is â€Å"too homogeneous and too interconnected† (Gilly and Gilinskiy, p.213); thus, relisious terrorism is â€Å"not then the culprit but rather the antidote to over capitalism† (ibid.). Religious Terrorism and Religion Now, when we have discussed secular motives in religious terrorism, it is possible to touch upon the relation between religious terrorism and relig ion itself. Many people wonder how come religion that is considered the source of belief, inspiration and happiness may bring such huge destructions and cause so much suffering. However, it is necessary to understand that there is a border between religions and religious terrorism, and these notions should not be confused or considered synonyms. The most â€Å"famous† cases of religious terrorism connected with Islam have contributed to the image of this religion as a â€Å"dangerous†, â€Å"aggressive† one, which is not reasonable. Terrorists whose actions are said to be initiated by the Islamic scriptures interpret these texts in a specific way which does not coincide with the way they are interpreted by the most population. The most famous and powerful Muslim leaders say that Islam is against any terrorist acts and call them â€Å"Satanic actions† (Al-Khattar, p.61). The responses of a survey by the Pew Research Center (cited in Gilly and Gilinskiy, p. 214) devoted to the question of whether suicide bombing is justified by Islam demonstrated that it is reasonable to consider Islam as a religious movement and Islamism as a terrorist movement as two separate issues. However, on the other hand, justification of Islamic terrorist acts is to some extent affected by the political issues: for example, Muslim citizens may in part justify terrorist acts against Israel as a country in the state of war against Arabs; correspondingly, they have also expressed some ideas of approval of acts against the USA emphasizing that the country in the struggle (Al-Khattar, p.61). At the same time, only the violence against the USA overseas the country is justified to some extent; the terrorist acts within the USA are not justified (p.62). Case Study: Buddhism and Religious Terrorism It is quite difficult for many people to imagine that Buddhism, the religion which associates with harmony and peacefulness, can be also a source of â€Å"inspiration† for religious terrorists. The doctrine called â€Å"ahisma†, which means â€Å"nonviolence†, teaches that Buddhism does not justify any kinds of terror (Juergensmeyer, p.113). However, history provides us with the examples of terrorist acts fulfilled by followers of Buddhism. Particularly, we can allude to the cases of terror fulfilled by Sinhalese activists in Sri Lanka. These cases are of particular interest, as they demonstrate how religious and non-religious matters fuse in terrorism. On the one hand, terrorist acts in Sri Lanka had secular background, as they were fulfilled under the conditions of the Civil War (1983-2009); on the other hand, the actions of terrorists are considered to have been fulfilled in the name of Buddha (p.114). The actions were supported by Buddhist monks and justified based on the ideas of Buddhism. Juergensmeyer (p.114) cites the opinion of a monk who participated in antigovernment actions; the monk alludes to the notion of â€Å"dukk ha†, which is â€Å"the age of suffering†, and says that during such periods, violence gives birth to the counter violence (ibid.). This response to political actions of the government is perceived by Buddhist terrorists as certain â€Å"karmic revenge† which is incarnated in the principle â€Å"†¦those who live by the sword die by the sword† (ibid.). Thus, this case became the precedent for other Buddhist countries, and the law of karma became the ground for justification of terrorist acts. Despite all religions say that killing stains a killer’s soul, Buddhists focus on a person who has been killed and on the merit that comes to him/her. Thus, we see that in many cases, religion does not stay aside from secular life and becomes the source of motives for terrorist acts, as well as the ground for their justification. Conclusion The main aspects differentiating religious and secular forms of terror can also be responsible in making religious typ es of terrorism a lot more dangerous. â€Å"When violence is a sacramental act rather than a tactic for achieving political goals, there are no moral limits to what might be done, and seemingly little chance for a negotiated settlement† (Hoffman, p.98). When hostilities are aimed at eliminating adversaries from the face of earth, genocides can easily erupt. Religious and secular terrorism has spartanly diverse discernments in their modes of operation and their vicious actions. In this case, secular terrorism considers aggression either as ways of bringing about the rectification of faults in systems that are essentially superior, or as a way of stimulating the formation of new systems. On the other hand, religious terrorism considers itself not as a constituent in a particular structure worth safeguarding, but as an outside component looking for basic alterations in a presented order. â€Å"This sense of alienation also enables the religious terrorist to contemplate far more destructive and deadly types of terrorist operations than secular terrorists, and indeed to embrace a far more open-ended category of ‘enemies’ for attack† (Hoffman, p.98). Therefore in differentiating the two types of terrorism, we can say religious terrorism could possibly harbor identifiable political objectives for negotiation, while secular terrorism probably makes use of religion to attain adherents or instigate immense enthusiasm. List of References Al-Khattar, A.M., 2003. Religion and Terrorism: an Interfaith Perspective. Westport (Connecticut); London: Praeger. Cronin, A. K., 2009. How Terrorism Ends: Understanding the Decline and Demise of Terrorist Campaigns. Princeton, NJ [etc.]: Princeton University Press. Gilly, T.A. and Gilinskiy, Y., 2009. The Ethics of Terrorism: Innovative Appropaches from an International Perspective. Springfield, Ill.: Charles C. Thomas. Hoffman, B., 1998. Inside Terrorism. Columbia: Columbia University Press. Juergensmeyer, M , 2004. Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence. Berkeley: University of California Press. Pape, R.A. and Feldman, J.K., 2010. Cutting the Fuse: The Explosion of Global Suicide Terrorism and How to Stop It. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Rapoport, D., 1984. â€Å"Fear and Trembling: Terrorism in Three Religious Traditions.†Ã‚  American Political Science Review 78 (3), pp. 659-667. Stern, J., 2003. Terror in The Name of God: Why Religious Militants Kill. New York: Ecco Publishers. This essay on Religious and Secular Terrorism: Analyzing Differences and Points of Intersection was written and submitted by user Vera Payne to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Sunday, March 15, 2020

Increase of Patriotism in America essays

Increase of Patriotism in America essays Have you noticed all the red, white, and blue everywhere you look these days? Patriotism has infected the United States in a very big way. Since the September 11th tragedy more people than ever before have contributed to the American cause. I plan to discuss how patriotism has affected the people and the merchants of the US. I also want to show how some people are taking advantage of the increase of patriotism. The article by Lisa Girard, Anything that says American, she talks about all the different merchandise available now that in someway shows patriotism. The article by Mark Walsh, Bill Requiring Pledge, he talks about how the Pennsylvania House pass laws after September 11th. And in my third article by an anonymous author, A Run on Patriotism, they show basic trends of merchants. This trend seems to have started after the September 11th incident, but did it really start then or was it just at one of its lowest point it has ever been? The trend is definitely on an upward move. Many companies who are involved in make these products are reporting record incomes for the quarter. Many companies that made such goods havent had a boom like this since Desert Storm. The first article, A Run on Patriotism, shows that the most strained chain as of right now is the chain delivering US flag to distributors around the country and world. It says that K-Mart has sold more than 645,000 handheld flags. Another company sold 17,000 flags and 12,000 flag shirts both over the Internet. This retailer has ordered another half million flags to repenish its stock. They are saying sales are about five time the amount usually around Christmas. Sales are so high indeed that even the producers of dyes and textiles are running short on the supply lines. The second article by Lisa Girard talks about all the new items that are now on sale that proudly displays the flag in some ma...

Friday, February 28, 2020

How do governments respond to large volcanic and earthquake disasters Research Paper

How do governments respond to large volcanic and earthquake disasters - Research Paper Example Also, buildings that have remained intact or partially damaged need to be stabilized so that they do not collapse in the aftershocks that follow. To initiate rescue operations, Civil defense organizations need to get their disaster control centers immediately into the act. Most of the hazards to people come from man-made structures. Liquefaction occurring underneath a building can make the building lean, or collapse, or sink several feet (UPSeis – MichiganTech, 2007) (Fig. 1). Hence, liquefaction is a risk especially in areas where the groundwater table is high and the soil is sandy. Also, the strong surface waves generated by an earthquake can make the ground heave and lurch, and thereby cause damage to buildings. Another major earthquake hazard is fire due to broken gas lines and snapped power lines. The Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 made the city burn for three days (Fig. 2), and destroyed most of the city. Flooding due to cracking of dams and levees is yet another major earthquake hazard. ... Government’s response to hazards from large volcanic eruptions and earthquakes It is not possible to ascertain if a volcano has become extinct. A volcano that lay dormant for 5000 years erupted in 1973 on Heimaey island near Iceland (USGS, 1983). Furthermore, the eruption of volcanoes can neither be prevented nor controlled. But knowledge of the type of eruption, that is, whether explosive or effusive will give an idea of the potential hazards, and that will help in determining the measures to be taken during a volcanic eruption. The problems due to volcanic eruptions will be compounded in the likely event of an earthquake occurring in conjunction with the eruption. Furthermore, volcanic activity can provoke atmospheric repercussions because of the billowing clouds of smoke and ash plumes (Fig. 4). Governments should keep the disaster management plan in readiness with help from the civic bodies as well as fire departments in the area to deal with the evacuation of people livin g in the path of lava flow, to combat fires caused by molten rock and hot cinders, to take appropriate steps to deal with atmospheric pollution from sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and acid vapors. It is not possible to carry out ground-based monitoring on all volcanoes around the world. But space-based monitoring through satellite radars can help identify the volcanoes presenting the greatest danger. The radars are able to track minute changes in the Earth's movement which facilitates prediction of ensuing volcanic eruptions (European Space Agency, 2007). In the case of earthquakes, according to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Department of Homeland Security, there are 45 states

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Critically Analysing Texts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Critically Analysing Texts - Essay Example For instance The Times positioned a large photograph of the suspect below its caption reminding the audience of the parents’ source of relief. The suspect’s picture looks more like a mug shot, a sublime indication that the suspect is guilty as charged. The Sun positions a photograph of the girlfriend with the murder suspect in happier times. The picture itself is suggestive of an ordinary man and certainly not a portrait of a killer. A picture of the victim however is placed in the article, but smaller, yet provides contrast. The victim’s picture is plain and reveals very little about the kind of person she might have been. Most of all, the picture could easily be a routine snapshot taken for identification documents as it does not create an impression. Interestingly a suggestive ad for sex therapy sits alongside the victim’s picture. In any case, the rather bland picture of the victim and the continuous informal use of her name throughout the article come s across as an intention to present an average, somewhat unsympathetic individual. The term â€Å"average Jo† invariably comes to mind and could either create sympathies or create detachment. A picture of the suspect’s mother and brother also appear on the last page of the article, but with far less ambiguity than the picture of the victim. The image captures drawn and saddened faces, under which the caption reads: â€Å"Angry†¦mum Sonja and brother Marcel.† The article in The Times is more cohesive in its layout in that it tells a story that is easy to follow. The connection begins with a caption that clearly directs attention to the content of the article. The caption reads: Yeates Parents Tell of â€Å"Enormous Relief† at Murder Charge. Thereafter, the article reads like a narrative with facts integrated to ensure that the reader knows why the Yeates parents relieved. For instance, upon informing the audience that the parents of the murder victim are relieved, the writer immediately names the suspect, and identifies him as a neighbour of the victim and reveals that he was arrested and will be formally charged with their daughter’s murder. The article appearing in The Sun however, is not as cohesive and as such it is more difficult to follow. The caption itself is confusing and reads: Girlfriend: I Stand by Jo Accused. Unlike The Times, the language in The Sun’s caption is informal and does not read like a complete sentence. The reader’s curiosity is therefore aroused immediately, although the opening lines to the article dispels that curiosity by informing who Jo is. The caption is misleading however, as once the reader completes The Sun’s article it becomes clear that the murder suspect’s girlfriend did not directly state that she was standing by her boyfriend. This message was conveyed through the murder suspect’s family. Like its caption, the language in The Sun is also informal a t times. This register however, is indicative of the kind of audience that The Sun intends to reach. For instance law enforcement are referred to as cops at least twice and in one instance, the term is used in the context of investigators’ decision to make an arrest. This tends to suggest that the decision to make an arrest was made lightly. At another point, a public relations professional is referred to as â€Å"PR man†. This use of colloquialism is clearly intended to reach a

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Chomsky and Knowledge of Language Essay example -- Philosophy of Langua

The linguistic theory of Chomsky has changed the long, traditional way of studying language. The nature of knowledge, which is closely tied to human knowledge in general, makes it a logical step for Chomsky to generalize his theory to the study of the relation between language and the world-in particular, the study of truth and reference. But his theory has been controversial and his proposal of "innate ideas" has been resisted by some empiricists who characterize him as rationalist. In our view, these empiricists make a mistake. In the present paper we attend to his position regarding linguistics as a science of mind/brain, which we believe is an important aspect of his theory that has not been paid enough attention or understood by his opponents. In turn, this will help to clarify some of the confusions around his theory. Finally we will discuss some of the debatable issues based on the outlines we draw. 1 Chomsky's linguistic theory is based on the following empirical facts: "child learns language with limited stimuli", or the problem of poverty of evidence. (1) The input during the period of a natural language acquisition is circumscribed and degenerate. The output simply cannot be accounted for by the learning mechanism only, such as induction and analogy on the input. The output and input differ both in quantity and quality. A subject knows linguistic facts without instruction or even direct evidence. These empirical facts, "knowledge without ground", (2) are expressed: "Knowledge of language is normally attained through brief exposure, and the character of the acquired knowledge may be largely predetermined." (3) This predetermined knowledge is some "notion of structure", in the mind of the speaker , which gu... ... but can hardly exist apart from languages, how could it be in the mind prior to language? What are those ideas? (Goodman, 1969, p.141) (24) He adds an interesting points: "Nevertheless, I think that what is significant in his paper is the fact that he believes that a genetic account is relevant to certain fundamental epistemological questions lying at the foundation of language." (Harman, 1969, p.170) (25) Quine, 1969, p.95. Also Lewis, Davison, Searle (Chomsky, 1986). (26) Quine, 1972. (27) The state SL is attained by setting parameters of So in one of the permissible ways, this is essential part of what is "learned," yielding the core, and adding a periphery of marked exceptions on the basis of specific experience, in accordance with the markedness principles of So. (28) Nagel, 1969, p.172. (29) Chomsky, 1986, p.269. (30) Danto, 1969, p.136.

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Last night at the regent theatre in Hanley Essay

Last night at the Regent Theatre in Hanley, Stoke-upon-Trent , I witnessed a spectacular performance of Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare is regarded as a true great among modern poets and playwrights alike. The play began with a masterfully written battle scene between the two feuding families, the Capulet’s and the Montague’s, both of similar social status. This primary scene soon evolved into a story of two teens, torn between their love for each other and fear of betraying their families. The highlight of the performance was the balcony scene; it was very dramatic and romantic. The show was stolen by the actor, Los Angeles, who played Lord Capulet ~(Juliet’s dad). He showed the audience how harsh but valuable to the storyline this character is, adding sparks to the performance with lines such as: ‘Hang thee, young baggage disobedient wretch’ (act three scene five) The end of the performance showed how parental conflict can interfere with lives of others and end in tragedy with the death of both the families youngest offspring. After the performance I interviewed Mr Jones and his teen son Bradley about their thoughts and feelings about the superb reproduction of the original Shakespeare romance. Interview with Father Journalist: Mr Joe Bloggs Father: Mr Jones Journalist: What do you think of attitudes of fathers in William Shakespeare’s time? Father: Control of teens is a lot more relaxed than when it was back then. I know myself; fathers in 2002 are struggling to gain respect from their teen children now and then patriarchal control was more or less one hundred percent. I think the attitude of fathers in William Shakespeare’s time was unnecessarily strict and forceful, for example Act 3 Scene 5 lord Capulet says: † Go with Paris to Saint Peters church or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither† I mean, strict is always good from a parents point of view but sometimes it can be a little over the top. Kids still need to be responsible for their own life and actions although parents can’t be too overruling, especially in my opinion, in marital circumstances. Still I can sympathise, being a father myself, he probably just wanted the best for Juliet but like you said, sometimes being too strict can have tragic consequences. Journalist: In Act 3 Scene 5, do you think lord Capulet was being fair to assume Juliet would accept the marriage proposal? Father: I think that lord Capulet was doing what he thought was best for Juliet in that day and age. Keeping Juliet in a good family, making sure she would be taken care of was obviously important to lord Capulet, so yes, I don’t think it was fair for Lord Capulet to expect Juliet to marry someone she wasn’t in love with. He obviously thought he was doing his best, but this would be frowned on nowadays. I think he could of prevented his daughters by trying to get to know Juliet better and discussing the marital problems with her. I could tell they were not close when Lord Capulet said: â€Å"Graze where you will, you shall not house with me† Journalist: In act 1 Scene 1, Lord Capulet enters an argument between servants of both families, he is seen as being keen to defend his family and to be faithful to them, but in Act 1 Scene 5 at the Capulet’s ball, he denies Tybalt his revenge and stops him from fighting Romeo. What do you think this says about his character? Father: His character shows that he is eager to defend his family honour, but he also sees these arguments as pointless, and he decides his family are worth all the hassle. At the Capulet’s party, I think he stops a fight occurring just to keep the peace, especially seeing as Romeo is not causing any harm. He wants his party to stay unspoilt. This covers up his usual short-tempered personality. Journalist: Do you think Capulet was thinking of his daughter when he arranged the marriage to Paris? Father: I can be sympathetic here, simply because looking deeper into it, and upon phrases such as: â€Å"She is the hopeful lady of my earth†, it seems that Capulet only wants the best for his daughter Juliet, and wants her in a stable marriage with a wealthy man. Although, as the scene develops it becomes clear that Capulet wants a husband for Juliet to keep the families high status and to increase Lord Capulet’s riches, he does not see love as part of the equation. So, when Juliet meets Juliet meets Romeo I think she say it as a way out, a window or maybe just as an act of rebellion. Journalist: Overall, What do you think William Shakespeare is trying to show us through Capulet’s character and about parental conflict through his play? Father: I think William Shakespeare is trying to put across the sheer futility of parental conflict and that you can’t force anybody into your way of thinking and most importantly, that true love conquers all! Interview with daughter Journalist: Joe Bloggs Son: Bradley Journalist: What do you think of the attitudes of teens towards their parents in William Shakespeare’s time, compared to now? Daughter: I think modern day parents are a lot more easy going than they were back then, and because of this, I know my father for one thinks we tend to take advantage of this! However, nowadays this kind of equal ranking between parent and teens, means a closer relationship forms, and I personally think we tend to discuss things more as a family. Journalist: In act 3 scene 5, what do you think about Juliet’s attitude towards the arranged marriage based on her first impressions? Daughter: In my opinion Juliet was absolutely in the right here. I realise in some religions this kind of thing is completely normal, but if my father introduced a man I hardly knew to me, only to tell me I was to spend the rest of my life with him, I would be thoroughly disgusted and certainly rebel against it! Journalist: Do you think Juliet was wrong to go behind her fathers back with Romeo even after she knew he was a Montague? Daughter: Yes, I think she should have told her parents of the situation and if they would prefer to lose a daughter than to live with it then Juliet would have to decide whether it is all really worth the fuss. After all, love is such a strong emotion and can a girl of her age really be sure what she is feeling? In spite of everything even her father thought she was too young at first as he says: ‘She hath not yet seen the change of fourteen years’ Journalist: How much do you think Juliet’s parents are responsible for Juliet’s death? Daughter: If anyone is responsible for her death it is her father! He almost drove her to the brink of insanity and depression; he shouldn’t have been so persistent about marrying someone she didn’t love. However I do not feel he is entirely to blame. Journalist: What do you think William Shakespeare is trying to show us about parental conflict and true love through his play? Daughter: Parental conflict interferes with things but true love will always come out best, nothing can stand in the way of people being together, not even the grim reaper, as shown in this tragic play of love and romance. Conclusion It seems as a whole both father and daughter feel that parenting in the time of William Shakespeare was kept quite tight knit and strict. Also both see that William Shakespeare is trying to express his feelings of futility towards parental conflict. It can affect the lives dramatically and most importantly he feels that love conquers all. David seems to feel that Lord Capulet was only trying to help by finding a partner for his daughter although he thinks Lord Capulet is too strict a parent. In a complete contrast Isabel disagrees with David and thinks Lord Capulet was wrong to assume he could arrange a marriage but she also believes parenting was too strict then. Conclusion- well it is agreed that parenting was very strict in those days although no-one seems to agree on whether Lord Capulet was in the right when arranging the marriage but in those days maybe a father being this forceful about marital situations was normal. Also the Capulet’s do seem partly responsible for their daughter’s death. Maybe they shouldn’t have tried to get to know their child better and the tragedy that followed might have been prevented? Who will ever know? Its up to you, the reader to decide now.

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Arctic Fox Facts (Vulpes lagopus)

The arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is a small fox known for its luxurious  fur and entertaining hunting antics. Photographs of the fox usually show it with a white winter coat, but the animal may be a different color depending on genetics and season. Fast Facts: Arctic Fox Scientific Name: Vulpes lagopus (V. lagopus)Common Names: Arctic fox, white fox, polar fox, snow foxBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 20 inches (female); 22 inches (male), plus a 12 inch tail.Weight: 3-7 poundsDiet: OmnivoreLifespan:  3-4 yearsHabitat: Arctic tundraPopulation: Hundreds of thousandsConservation Status: Least Concern Description The scientific name  Vulpes lagopus  translates to fox hare-foot, which refers to the fact that the arctic foxs paw resembles a rabbits foot. It is the only canid whose foot pads are completely insulated by fur. An arctic fox has thick fur covering the soles of its feet. Wayne Lynch / Getty Images Arctic foxes are about the size of a house cat, averaging about 55 cm (male) to 52 cm (female) in height, with a 30 cm tail. The foxs weight depends on the season. In the summer, a fox puts on fat to help it survive the winter, essentially doubling its weight. Males range from 3.2 to 9.4 kg, while females weigh from 1.4 to 3.2 kg. The arctic fox has a low surface area to volume ratio to protect it from  the cold. It has a short muzzle and legs, compact body, and short, thick ears. When the temperature is warm, an arctic fox radiates heat through its nose. There are two arctic fox color morphs. The blue fox is a morph that appears dark blue, brown, or gray year-round. Blue foxes live is coastal regions where their fur serves as camouflage against the rocks. The white morph has a brown coat with gray abdomen in the summer and white coat in the winter. The color change helps the fox blend in with its surroundings to avoid predators. Habitat and Distribution Like its name implies, the arctic fox lives in the tundra of the Arctic region of the Northern Hemisphere. It is found in Canada, Alaska, Russia, Greenland, and (rarely) Scandinavia. The arctic fox is the only native land mammal found in Iceland. Adaptations for Life in the Arctic Circle When an arctic fox hears a rodent beneath the snow, it leaps into the air to silently pounce upon prey from above. Steven Kazlowski/Nature Picture Library / Getty Images Life on the tundra isnt easy, but the arctic fox is well adapted to its environment. One of the most interesting adaptations is the foxs hunting behavior. The fox uses its front-facing ears to triangulate prey location under the snow. When it hears a meal, the fox leaps into the air and pounces into the snow to reach its prize. An arctic fox can hear a lemming under 46 to 77 cm of snow and a seal lair beneath 150 cm of snow. Foxes also use their keen sense of smell to track prey. The fox can track a polar bear to scavenge its kill or smell a carcass from 10 to 40 km away. The foxs coat color helps it avoid predators, but the coats main adaptation is its high insulation value. The thick fur helps the fox stay warm even when the temperature drops well below freezing. The fox doesnt hibernate, so the coat makes it possible to conserve heat and hunt in the winter. However, recent research indicates the fox quickly burns its stored fat when the temperature drops well below freezing. Foxes live in burrows, preferring warrens with multiple entrances/exits to aid in escaping predators. Some foxes migrate and will tunnel in snow to make a shelter. Reproduction and Offspring If food is abundant, an arctic fox may give birth to up to 25 pups!. Richard Kemp / Getty Images Arctic foxes are mostly monogamous, with both parents caring for offspring. However, social structure depends on predator and prey abundance. Sometimes the foxes will form packs and be promiscuous to increase pup survival and guard against threats. Although red foxes prey upon arctic foxes, the two species are genetically compatible and have been known to interbreed on rare occasions. Foxes breed in April or May with a gestation period of approximately 52 days. Blue foxes, which live on the coast and enjoy a consistent food supply, typically have 5 pups each year. White arctic foxes may not reproduce when food is scarce, yet can have as many as 25 pups in a litter when prey is abundant. This is the largest litter size in order Carnivora. Both parents help care for the pups or kits. The kits emerge from the den when they are 3 to 4 weeks old and are weaned at 9 weeks old. When resources are abundant, older offspring may remain within their parents territory to help guard it and aid kit survival. Arctic foxes only live three to four years in the wild. Foxes with dens near a food supply tend to live longer than animals that migrate to follow larger predators. Diet and Behavior This arctic fox, midway between its summer and winter coats, is stealing an egg. Sven Zacek / Getty Images The arctic fox is an omnivorous predator. It preys on lemmings and other rodents, seal pups, fish, birds, eggs, insects, and other invertebrates. It also eats berries, seaweed, and carrion, sometimes tracking polar bears to eat the remains of their kill. Arctic foxes bury excess food in a cache to store for winter and rearing kits. Arctic foxes are preyed upon by red foxes, eagles, wolves, wolverines, and bears. Conservation Status The blue fox variant of the arctic fox is highly valued in the fur trade. lambada / Getty Images The IUCN categorizes the conservation status of the arctic fox as of least concern. The global population of arctic foxes is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands. However, the species is acutely endangered in northern Europe, with fewer than 200 adults remaining in Norway, Sweden, and Finland combined. Even though hunting has been prohibited for decades, the animals are poached for their valuable fur. The population on Medny Island, Russia is also endangered. Threats The arctic fox faces severe challenges from hunting and climate change. Warmer temperatures have made the foxs white winter coloration readily visible to predators. The red fox, in particular, threatens the arctic fox. In some areas, the red fox has become dominant as its predator, the grey wolf, has been hunted to near extinction. Disease and scarcity of prey affect arctic fox populations in some parts of its range. Can You Have a Pet Arctic Fox? Red foxes are more common pets than arctic foxes. All images taken by Keven Law of London, England. / Getty Images Foxes, like dogs, belong to the family Canidae. However, they are not domesticated and do not make ideal pets. They mark territory by spraying and need to be able to dig. While there are examples of foxes kept as pets (particularly within their natural range in the Arctic), the red fox is more popular because its better adapted to co-exist at a temperature comfortable for humans. Keeping a fox is illegal in some regions. The arctic fox is a prohibited new organism according to New Zealands Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996. While you may be able to befriend an arctic fox if you live in the Arctic, the creatures are unwelcome in the Southern Hemisphere because they would upset the ecology. Sources Angerbjà ¶rn, A.; Tannerfeldt, M. Vulpes lagopus. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2014: e.T899A57549321. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-2.RLTS.T899A57549321.enBoitani, Luigi . Simon Schusters Guide to Mammals. Simon Schuster/Touchstone Books, 1984. ISBN 978-0-671-42805-1Garrott, R. A. and L. E. Eberhardt. Arctic fox. In Novak, M.; et al. Wild furbearer management and conservation in North America. pp. 395–406, 1987. ISBN 0774393653.Prestrud, Pal. Adaptations by the Arctic Fox (Alopex lagopus) to the Polar Winter. Arctic. 44 (2): 132–138, 1991. doi:10.14430/arctic1529Wozencraft, W.C. Order Carnivora. In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 532–628, 2005. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0