Forecast analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Forecast analysis - Essay Example Therefore, using the finding for Merica 1, these parameters are tightly fitted to the regression line, besides; the relationship is positive and strongly related. For that reason, in every real GDP forecasted, time and average price are strongly and positively affecting the real GDP and vice-versa. The adjusted R2showed the total variability accounted by the model. This refers to the proportion of finding the variables that the model would account for, or the proportion the model can explain. For Merica 1, the adjusted R2 was 0.99996. The value indicated that a significant percentage of the variables could b explained by the model (99.996%). The coefficient of determinant or estimate is defined as the rate at which conditional means change. Average price reported the highest changes in the conditional mean compared to other variables. However, time and real GDP reported negative value. Negative coefficient of determinants shows that the expected forecast of the dependent variable would be below zero when the independent or predictor variables were set at zero. The finding from this model indicates the presence of statistical significance linear dependency of the means for time, real GDP and average price. The standard errors are inferential statistics obtained by dividing standard deviation by the square root of the sample population. Therefore, the larger the error, the smaller the sample size, it is an estimate of the association between the sample population and the standard deviation. Real GDP reported the lowest standard error as opposed to the average price that had the highest error (smallest sample size). During the financial year 5, there was a sustained increase in the industry sales from 527000 units in the first quarter to 595000 in the second quarter for both Merica 1 and Merica 2. The value reduced to 550000 units in the third quarter but later increased to 719000units in the last quarter for both. The

The Theme Of Alienation Loneliness And Selfhood English Literature Essay

The Theme Of Alienation Loneliness And Selfhood English Literature Essay In Krapps last tape, Krapp systematically distanced himself from companionship and love of other people. When Krapp was twenty nine years old, he lived with a woman named Bianca, whose love he later described as a hopeless business despite the fact that she truly loved him and possessed very warm eyes that always seemed to impress him (Beckett 54). After the death of his mother when Krapp was only thirty nine, he felt that life had lost meaning. This is evident from the words he said to his new love that it was hopeless and there was nothing positive about life. He rejected his lover and completely lived alone from this time onwards, although he was sometimes visited by Fanny, who was a bony old ghost of whore (Beckett 98). At the age of sixty nine, Krapp was only accompanied by his loneliness during his birthday celebration, whereby he spent the day in a pub deeply occupied by heavy thoughts of his past life and his lost chance for love and fulfilled life (Beckett 67). Krapps last tape is a compact statement of a mans predicament as a prisoner of time. He preserved the worst for himself and threw the best away by rejecting love of others. At the age of sixty nine, the only thing he could do was to play a tape he made when he was thirty nine, reminding him of the last love that he rejected when he still had potential for happiness in life (Beckett 89). Krapp was a lonely man, whose isolation was self inflicted. He viewed women as bad influence and valued his career as a writer more than any human companionship or relationship. He confessed that he could not withstand the thought of his future career as a writer being interfered with by women and love (Beckett 89). Krapp chose a tape recorder to be his sole companionship. He seemed to find comfort in recorded voice, which he faithfully listened to, even in old age. However, although Krapp lived like he did not need anyones company, he seems to have been inwardly desperate to have someone to engage in a conversation. He eventually discovered that he had made a terrible mistake by forsaking the rest of humanity (Beckett 130). Loneliness, selfishness and selfhood are clearly illustrated throughout Krapps character and way of life. He never found satisfaction in life even after selfishly living a lonely life that he had chosen to live and he realized that the selfhood that he had discovered had truly misled him. He realized that he needed other people and the rest of the world in order to be fulfilled but it was already too late. In Kate Chopins story of an hour, Mrs. Mallard went through feelings of relief as soon as she received the bad news of her husbands death, which was said to have occurred in a train accident. Although at first she was sorrowful and confused by the news of her husbands death, she was suddenly relieved by the thought of being free from marriage and slavery of love. She knew that no amount of love and security could pay the lack of control over her own existence (Chopins 194). Mrs. Mallard seemed to have been controlled by society, pretending to be happy and fulfilled in her marriage. As molded by the society, she appeared to be a perfect wife, who enjoyed companionship of her husband and loved being a wife. She suppressed her true selfhood and sacrificed her delight to please the society, pretending to be happily married. As expressed in her reaction and sigh of relief when she heard the news of her husbands death, it is quite evident that she had always inwardly struggled with her marriage to Mr. Bently Mallard, that was dominated by male chauvinism. Feminism shown through freedom upon her husbands death explains her happiness and relief to be alone, free from bondage of marriage and love (Chopin 193). Her own feelings of freedom came back possessing her when she first uttered the words free, free! In this story, Mrs. Mallard is described as a woman who had forgotten and abandoned herself throughout the entire period of marriage to her husband. The husband is described as being happy with the marriage, despite the fact that Mrs. Mallard was not happy and inwardly viewed the marriage as slavery. Her emotions had been stiffled and and suppressed to fit into hollow social conventions of the society. She was the submissive woman, who believed that her husband had a right to impose his will on her (Jamil 216). However, she suddenly gained control over herself after discovering that she had been set free from bondage of marriage and slavery of love by the death of her husband. She embraced visions of a bright future and realized that whether she had loved him or not was not important anymore, all what was important to her now was the possession of self assertion that she experienced afte r his death. (Choppin 193, 194). This was the nineteenth century American womans hour of awakening into selfhood, which gives her immesurable joy and beauty of life. (Jamil 215). Her happiness after discovery of her selfhood was so strong that when she realized that her husband was not dead, she immediately collapsed. She could not imagine how she was going to abandon her new found freedom and return to life with her husband, where she would be required to bend her will to his. Mrs. Mallard preferred to live alone, without her husband because that meant freedom to her just like Mr. Krapp chose to live alone and viewed women and love as a hopeless business. To him, they would interfere with his freedom of pursuing his writing career, while to Mrs. Mallard, the presence of her husband was a permanent bondage to slavery that had taken away her freedom and selfhood. The story of a sorrowful woman by Gail Godwin depicts a wife and a mother who gradually withdrew from her family after becoming overwhelmed by her husbands and childs presence and completely shut them out of her life. Their presence was a daily reminder of the fact that she had lost her freedom as well as her self- identity and her life would never be the same again (Godwin 78). She wanted her freedom and her self -identity back. She wanted to stay away from her husband, her child and the rest of the community and live a lonely life because to her that would be more fulfilling, just like Mr. Krapp. She viewed marriage as a source of pain, that had taken away her identity, her selfhood and her freedom. She further wanted to stay away from the society that advocated for marriage and therefore decided to live a lonely life. However, what she considered as freedom and selfhood did not give her the fulfillment that she had longed to have. Her dissatisfaction with her role as a mother and a dutiful wife made her to try many other alternatives in life but she did not find satisfaction in any of the options that she tried out. She did not find any particular role that could suit her and therefore she ended up withdrawing from the rest of the world. This is illustrated by the coldness and isolation of the undecorated white room that she moved into. She even pictured herself as a virgin in a tower, untouchable and profoundly isolated (Goldwin 117). This shows that she had not only isolated herself physically from her family and the rest of the world but also emotionally thus making herself an outsider looking in on the world. She viewed her family as source of bondage, slavery and dissatisfaction in life. However, isolating herself from the rest of the society did not give her any satisfaction like she had expected. She only ended up being a lonely woman, both physically and emotionally. The theme of alienation, selfhood and loneliness cut across the three stories discussed. The three main characters in the stories viewed family as a source of bondage, limitations and dissatisfaction in life. It is portrayed as a form of slavery that would tie women and men to their families and take away their freedom as well as their selfhood. These stories portray traditional marriages whereby women are supposed to be submissive to their husbands and be good home makers as unfulfilling and undermining to women. The women discussed here are seemingly tired of living under bondage and slavery of their husbands and the entire society and are looking for liberation and freedom. They want to rediscover themselves and find more fulfilling roles that define them and give them a voice as useful members of the society. They can no longer stand the idea of being dominated by society as well as by their husbands as clearly observed when Mrs. Mallard collapsed on discovering the truth that he r husband was truly alive and not dead as it had been reported. On the other hand freedom in these stories is categorically accompanied by loneliness and lack of fulfillment as portrayed by Krapp and Godwin. The woman in Godwins story did not find any satisfaction in her loneliness after abandoning her family and the society at large. Her freedom brought more emotional and physical dissatisfaction as she tried to rediscover herself and even to assign her new roles, which only tormented her mental and emotionally, causing even more pain to her life. After spending all his life alone with the tape recorder as his sole companion, Krapp finally came to his senses and realized that he had actually ruined his own life because he was lonely and desperate for companion. He realized that listening to the tape recorder alone could not give him the delight and the fulfillment that he had longed to have in his entire life. However, it was already too late as he was already an old man.

Mob Protesters Right or Wrong :: miscellaneous

Mob Protesters Right or Wrong Essay Outline: My essay is only around one thousand five hundred words long and in that one and a half thousand words I must give points of views from both sides as well as a introduction and this Essay Outline. The first opinion I will write about is the opinions of the labour supporters, saying how They suffered because of the petrol protests, the rights wrongs and how the wrongs were or tried to be sorted out and how long it took. Also in labours defence I shall write about how Tony Blair thinks that a cut in fuel tax will cause more problems in the future. Also I will right about the opinions of the petrol protesters, how they are helping the nation on the over taxed fuel, because they are not doing the protests for fun (although they might look fun). The newspapers I read showed what Tony Blair said about his taxing but where most of it was lies or misleading. Also what he actually did with our taxes and how some of it just went to waste like how he cut 140 road improvements programs to only 3 7 or how his ten-year  £180billion partnership with John Prescott took tree years to sort out. Is this because of his poor money management or is he getting an extra million or two in his pocket each year? These important points might creep up with some more in my essay. But to end my essay I shall Finnish with a conclusion that contains an overall view of the essay. A thanks to where I got all my information for the essay, how the essay developed and how my point of view developed as I learnt more on what happens to our taxes while labour is ruling parliament. But most importantly asking the reader the question I was given, but a little briefer, ‘ should we wait for an election to sort out the taxation problems or should we stand up and demand lower taxes to solve the taxation problem’. Introduction: Should the government have total control over our taxes and we can not do anything about it. Should we be able to stand up for the taxes we pay or should we wait weeks, months or years for another election. Or should we be happy for taxes knowing that it’s going towards our health, safety and education.

A Person Who Has Succeeded In Life Essay

It is lunch hour. A large restaurant located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur city is packed with regular customers. Waiters and waitresses are busy serving the customers. Outside the restaurant, the owner of the restaurant is seen arriving in a luxury car. After parking his car, he enters the restaurant and starts mingling with the customers. The humble man is none other than my beloved grandfather. My grandfather is a man of little education. He comes from a poor family. After attending primary school, he had to stop schooling due to poverty. As the eldest son of the family, he helped his father at his stall selling barbecued meats. Life was indeed difficult for him then. He had to get up early in the morning before dawn and go to the market together with his father to buy fresh chickens and ducks. Then, they returned home to slaughter them, prepare the meats and barbecue them. My grandfather was extremely interested in culinary skills. As a teenager, he was a fast learner and was able to prepare the meats as well as his father before long. One morning, my grandfather woke up early in the morning as usual. He assumed that everything would go on smoothly but little did he know that he had lost his father. When he went to wake his father up, there was no response from him. My grandfather panicked and called for an ambulance. When his father was sent to hospital, he was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor. My grandfather was totally devastated by the sudden demise of his father. In the midst of his sadness, he knew he had to find strength to carry on. To earn a living, he had no alternative but to take over the stall that his father left behind. Using the small savings that he inherited from his father, he continued with the business. He learnt about finance from his own experience and whatever he could recall when he was with his father. He led a frugal lifestyle and only spent money when it was necessary. He was so thrifty that when he got married a few years later, his guests were only treated to rice and barbecued meats. He was industrious and saved as much money as he could. He kept his savings in a bank. After a couple of years, his diligence and modesty finally paid off – he had saved enough money to open a restaurant. Thanks to his excellent management skills that he acquired earlier, his restaurant prospered and his business expanded. Apart from selling barbecued meats, he also sold other food such as chicken rice, economical meals, dim sum and a variety of noodles. Today, my grandfather is an extremely successful and well-established restaurateur. He often advises me to study hard and be a knowledgeable person in order to contribute to society in future. He also emphasises the virtues of diligence, frugality and honesty. I will not forget his advices for as long as I live because he is my role model. A Person Who Has Succeeded In Life Essay It is lunch hour. A large restaurant located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur city is packed with regular customers. Waiters and waitresses are busy serving the customers. Outside the restaurant, the owner of the restaurant is seen arriving in a luxury car. After parking his car, he enters the restaurant and starts mingling with the customers. The humble man is none other than my beloved grandfather. My grandfather is a man of little education. He comes from a poor family. After attending primary school, he had to stop schooling due to poverty. As the eldest son of the family, he helped his father at his stall selling barbecued meats. Life was indeed difficult for him then. He had to get up early in the morning before dawn and go to the market together with his father to buy fresh chickens and ducks. Then, they returned home to slaughter them, prepare the meats and barbecue them. My grandfather was extremely interested in culinary skills. As a teenager, he was a fast learner and was able to prepare the meats as well as his father before long. One morning, my grandfather woke up early in the morning as usual. He assumed that everything would go on smoothly but little did he know that he had lost his father. When he went to wake his father up, there was no response from him. My grandfather panicked and called for an ambulance. When his father was sent to hospital, he was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor. My grandfather was totally devastated by the sudden demise of his father. In the midst of his sadness, he knew he had to find strength to carry on. To earn a living, he had no alternative but to take over the stall that his father left behind. Using the small savings that he inherited from his father, he continued with the business. He learnt about finance from his own experience and whatever he could recall when he was with his father. He led a frugal lifestyle and only spent money when it was necessary. He was so thrifty that when he got married a few years later, his guests were only treated to rice and barbecued meats. He was industrious and saved as much money as he could. He kept his savings in a bank. After a couple of years, his diligence and modesty finally paid off – he had saved enough money to open a restaurant. Thanks to his excellent management skills that he acquired earlier, his restaurant prospered and his business expanded. Apart from selling barbecued meats, he also sold other food such as chicken rice, economical meals, dim sum and a variety of noodles. Today, my grandfather is an extremely successful and well-established restaurateur. He often advises me to study hard and be a knowledgeable person in order to contribute to society in future. He also emphasises the virtues of diligence, frugality and honesty. I will not forget his advices for as long as I live because he is my role model.

Response to Ex Post Facto Ethics

The document, â€Å"Ex Post Facto Ethics† by Stanley Schmidt reveals many important points to our society. He stresses the fact that historians today are Judging and frowning upon what important historical figures thought and acted upon in their time. Although his article was very specific in examples his generalization of society being a uniform mass is his own hypocritical example of â€Å"Ex Post Facto Ethics†. It also proved to be hypocritical in its argument about passing Judgment much after the matter has passed.Schmidt stresses the fact that people in our present day society are constantly condemning upon our ancestors for violation of â€Å"ex post facto moral laws† when, in reality, the general accepted standards and values are changing even at this moment. Therefore, we do not understand how these people of history thought, felt, and/or believed what was right or wrong. In other words, we are unaware of the great impact that the social context of their period had on basic morality. It is easy to make Judgment of other peoples' actions in spite of our own levels of what is right and what is wrong in our eyes.To most of us now, the perception and understanding of basic moral principles differ drastically from the perception and understanding of basic moral principles of the ancient believers, historical figures, or the primary establisher of our country. For example, the article explains how students and teachers rail â€Å"against George Washington and Thomas Jefferson because they kept slaves†. The establisher of our country had come from Europe, where it was taken for granted to have slaves; it caused no harm or foul to anyone but the slaves themselves. The slaves were only considered property). But that is where the controversy begins: today, slavery is immoral, cruel, and unacceptable. The article states that, â€Å"We can Judge the quality and importance of their [people of the past] contributions to understanding the universe only in terms of what they did with the knowledge available to them. † When Schmidt says this, he is referring to what Isaac Newton thought and believed he knew in his time about Physics. Consequently, Schmidt implied that we cannot Judge based on what we now now, but on what they knew then.In AP Euro, there are countless times where one, as a member of our society, learns about events, beliefs, traditions, etc. , that are now considered immoral and unaccepted by society. For instance, in the early ages and throughout the history of Europe, women were considered property. They were traded, sold, raped, and killed without any punishment whatsoever; it was Just the normal way to react towards women. Today, we learn, in history class, of these actions done by historical figures and our first reaction is, â€Å"What were they thinking? R â€Å"How can they do such a thing,† but in all honestly, that is Just the style of life they lived in at the time. Knowing and comprehending these aspects play a key role in understanding the history that have led society to where it is today. For this same reason, the instructor wanted us to read this article. It not only illustrates how the perspective and understanding of basic moral principles evolve over time, but also emphasizes the fact that we cannot Judge the actions of the people of the past based on our own perspective and understanding. We will use this understanding of the past throughout the year in class.

Commercialized media and cultural system on prevailing power structure

Commercialized media and cultural system on prevailing power structure Introduction The rise in the importance of independency in nations has resulted to enhanced political power within nations with political stability consequently influencing the economical realm. However, raging debates are rising across the globe with the public and other interested organizations calling for political revolutions and political reforms for the reason that politics have influenced delivery of information and communication by taking control of the media content within nations (Wallis, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Commercialized media and cultural system on prevailing power structure specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Despite regular interventions by concerned organizations, nothing seems to change. Definitely, as politicians continue to influence activities undertaken by the commercialized media industry pertinent to political activities, the importance of media in delivery of information remain s questionable. For several decades now, Chinese politics have remained influential to media activities by possessing power over media coverage by ensuring supremacy above newspapers operational units and broadcasting centers, thus hiding important information from the public. For that reason, this essay seeks to explain why and how commercialized media and cultural system would reinforce the dominating and prevailing power structure. Overview of Chinese media and political issues Recent studies have established several challenges in the Chinese media including poor delivery of information and excessive control over media coverage by the government, thus presenting half-truths to public. This aspect has raised public concerns on the democracy held by the Chinese commercial media, with sources revealing that there are no sufficient conditions, which allow media to dominate the information systems. Globally, politicians have been an integral part in the formation of laws and policies governing activities undertaken by private entities including the commercialized media, which probably explains the reasons behind the increasing political ascendancy. In China, according to Wang (2003), modern advertising returned to the people of the republic of China in the year 1979, but little changes have taken place despite several regimes taking the national governance. There is also the eminence of political influence in the marketing of media with the government enforcing policies to overcome development of media and cultural sector. Why media and cultural system reinforce prevailing power Despite global efforts to establish legal frameworks governing the delivery of information and insisting on the importance of citizens’ right to information, China has lagged behind, as the Chinese media remains institutionally unstable.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Pickard (2007), the importance of the media society in China remains unknown with the public questioning the increasingly political supremacy on media activities. People approached the advent of modernized media technologies with hopes that it may create a significant change in the traditionally controlled and biased media commerce. However, as the political issues became increasingly important, attention in the media society shifted from public interest to personalized political jumbles that remain equally insignificant to the Chinese public. According to Pickard (2007), the media significantly devotes to the contingency of power politics that has hindered liberalization and democracy in China, leading to lack of public confidence in the media society. There are several reasons why media and cultural system reinforce prevailing power. Political pressure The Chinese political systems have consistently dominated all activities that enhance economical order in th e country. The rapid swelling of politics is constantly changing the tendencies found across commercialized businesses in China. Though not stated in the Chinese legal framework, it has become a socially and politically accepted norm that media is working under pressure from strong prevailing political power, thus covering maliciously fated deals (Pickard, 2007). This scenario was different in the past, as media seemed less concerned with individual political interests and continuously served people diligently. It is a common knowledge, although a secret poison to the populace, that the media systems are becoming more politically submissive thus unfortunately neglecting the social-economical challenges facing the Chinese citizens. All businesses inclusive of private and public sponsored organizations serve under the Chinese government something that clearly elucidates the reason behind media subservience to the existing power. Political regimes in China have been the same in terms o f behavior, thus possessing similar characterizes. National governance in any country or state of this century remains a pertinent and influential factor towards the development and peaceful co-existence. Embedded with the task of formulating laws and policies, which form the landscape to governance, politicians have emerged as the most influential bodies in the constitutionality of China. Research on communication behaviors in China speaks volumes on why commercial media and the cultural system remain obedient to the incumbent government. According to Wallis (2011), the government has continuously frustrated the achievement of equitable access to public information by supremely controlling all activities including quality, type, and quantity of media content pertinent to the prevailing political and economic issues experienced in China.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Commercialized media and cultural system on prevailing power structure specifically for y ou for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Several policies, acts, and laws have emerged to provide legal boundaries and jurisdiction over commercial media coverage in China throughout each successive regime principally to protect government interests in specific areas of public concern. This delegates local leaders to exercise supremacy over commercial media. Business interest Protecting business interest has normally been crucial to any organization, as collapse in any sector may lead to absolute failure. Current political power and the system of governance consequently determine the fate of any business entity operating in China. In a quest to provide the so-called conducive environment for growth and development of private organizations, the Chinese government has always ensured that it subjects private entities to abiding laws and enduring agreements coupled with making them subservient to the current leadership. Apparently, all organizations operating or collabor ating with the Chinese government have to remain considerably incisive not to kill the rapport between them and the authorities, which consequently may influence their business interests. Like any other organizations, numerous commercialized media businesses are private ownerships, and thus the laws and policies are not different to them. Sources reveal that any business operating contrary to the government’s will does not operate for long in China, and thus protecting one’s business interests is imperative for existence. Prevailing laws Despite raised concerns in the global importance of commercial media, laws have never stopped oppressing the efforts of media to provide comprehensive and important information to the public. Since media remains an important sector in shaping the cultural system, the quality of information given to the public influences perceptions against the government. Branaman (2009) posits, â€Å"The function of media performance has moved partia lly towards the ‘authoritarian’ model on one hand to support and advance the policies of the government in power† (p.122). The surged political pressure and laws governing the provision of information by the media have exacerbated the situation whereby the government plays a critical role in controlling media content delivered to public (Wang, 2003). Devoted to protecting public interests as instructed by the government coupled with the need to protect their business interests in China, several media companies have vowed to respect and protect laws governing the dissemination of media content to the public.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More How media and cultural system reinforce prevailing power Replete with law and rules abiding the dissemination of public information by media and control of activities in cultural systems by political power in China, there is always no option than to collaborate with the government. The media and cultural systems in China receive substantial support from the government media by upgrading and cultural construction and cultural reform systems. By seeking political favors from the commercial media and cultural systems, the government ensures capitalization of the cultural and media industry in the stock market activities, as well as cultivating state-dominated cultural practices in the essence of dominating the market. Zhao (2008) is worried due to this capitalization for â€Å"it affects class structure not only as an increasingly central vector of production and economic exchange, but also as the means of social organization and site of subjectivity formation† (p. 76). Seemingl y, provident and assured of enough security to execute their unlawful acts in the public limelight, the commercial media and cultural systems remain dedicated to providing political cover and neglect important public interests. Despite the fact that the central state increased its interactivity with media, more of it remains skewed towards market interests, but not public interests. Controlled information power The power in the delivery of information by commercial media in China publicly remains within the government jurisdiction. Having potentially significant power over all business corporations operating in China, the government holds the key to important information disseminated to the public failure to which the laws confine any information provided without their consent. The government ensures that it separates public interest oriented media from market-oriented media, thus leading to personal interests within and without the political economic plateau. The commercial media u nconvincingly publishes information regarding public interests to capture market orientation rather than covering actual public issues affecting the Chinese populace. Through the government jurisdiction, information published must acknowledge the government’s efforts positively despite how tiny the achievement seems. In pursuit of protecting their selfish gains, commercialized media players ensure that all terms governing their performance in the country, especially news and advertising sectors, have subdued published information accordingly. In the current government, all newspapers, news in the local play stations, and television networks always provide public information in favor of political influences. Dissemination of public information and production of information lies under powerful political scrutiny, which in most cases favors the government side and alienating the accrued importance of public oriented interests. This aspect forces the public to lose morale in any activity involving commercialized media and its fellow business associates. Over-privatization of Commercial media The importance of public media for public interest is diminishing with previous and prospective studies revealing that media is increasing becoming more of private interests than private concentration. Due to increased private interest in media activities and unfortunately the thinning aspect of public importance, the media has become a market phoenix that provides a conduce environment for private cultural institutions and few part-states stock investors who have consistently been involved in state political fracas (Branaman, 2009). Private investors in the commercial media industry and private cultural system receive substantial support from the prevailing government that substantiates their business activities ruining the public media plateau. Media players prove more significant and competitive in providing information favoring the political realm and providing cons iderable survival means for some politicians, and thus more privileges come in their favor. This aspect compels them to continue submitting to the current government at the expense of skewed information and communities systems that provide imperative public-oriented information. Dominating media activities All influential activities concerning the media including powerful advertising contracts from government endorsements normally fall under commercialized media and cultural systems serving under collaborative private-public system. By controlling commercialized media activities conducted by media and frustrating efforts by other democratic organizations to encompass strategies that enhance the media content provided, political monarchy continues to dominate the media industry. Packard (2007) affirms, â€Å"Markets are expected to govern all sectors of society, and government intervention not in line with commercial interests is viewed as inherently suspect† (p.121). The sove reignty of political power in media activities, including activities that trigger public attention including advertising and entertainment, allows the government to push the media society into working in their favor. Cultural systems fall into political traps by having government assurance of cultural construction and cultural system reforms assumed and promised by the government, hence continue providing significant political cover to protect the interest of a few individuals. Influenced Cultural System The political plateau continues to dominate commercial media and cultural system in the current government. The cultural system coupled with manipulated media remains truthful to politicians and powerful government something that best explains the reasons behind the collapse of Chinese culture. According to research, Soviet Socialism and the end of the Cold War politics provided an insight into the development of â€Å"transnational communication system structured along neoliberal lines† (Packard 2007, p.129). However, with the neoliberal structure in it, nothing seems to have changed much in the modern China. The existing government has been providing motivation strategies to only a few individuals within the public and private commercialized media and cultural systems to continue covering their political boundaries. This aspect remains a limiting factor that determines the public effort in deciding the leadership direction the Chinese government will take in near future. The dynamics of political relationship with commercialized media and cultural systems may remain under political governance in the future. Conclusion The current global and national media fraternities are facing several challenges with the political class manipulating activities undertaken by commercialized media and cultural systems. Capitalization of commercial media is the common term of getting rid of legal intended activities for public interest and reinforcing personal business interests in the media fraternity. Apparently, the Chinese government has been in the forefront in collaborating with privately commercialized media organizations to provide information pertaining government activities as they continuously become powerful over the media content released on press or television to the public. Wang (2003) postulates, â€Å"Advertising is shaped by its structural relationship with the media and corporate sectors, both of which are reined in by the socialist state† (p.1). Powerful media sections remain under the influence of politicians in China, who enforce laws that inhibit changes needed by the public and interventions made by different organizations in protecting human rights. In the light of the issues highlighted in this paper, it is apparent that commercialized media and cultural system can reinforce the dominating and prevailing power structure. References Branaman, J. (2009). A Political Economy of News Media in the People’s Republ ic of China. Westminster Papers in Communication and Culture, 6(2), 119-143. Pickard, V. (2007). Neoliberal Visions and Revisions in Global Communications Policy from NWICO to WSIS. Journal of Communication Inquiry, 3(2), 118-139. Wallis, C. (2011). New Media Practices in China: Youth Patterns, Processes, and Politics. International Journal of Communication, 5, 406–436. Wang, J. (2003). Framing Chinese Advertising: Some Industry Perspectives on the Production of Culture. Journal of media and cultural studies, 17(6), 1-28. Zhao, Y. (2008). Communication in China: Political Economy, Power and Conflict  (State and Society in East Asia). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman Littlefield.

Battle of Saylers Creek in the Civil War

Battle of Saylers Creek in the Civil War Battle of Saylers Creek: Conflict Date: The Battle of Saylers Creek (Sailors Creek) was fought April 6, 1865, during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Armies Commanders Union Major General Philip H. Sheridanapprox. 16,000 men Confederate Lieutenant General Richard EwellLieutenant General Richard Andersonapprox. 11,500 Battle of Saylers Creek - Background: In the wake of the Confederate defeat at Five Forks on April 1, 1865, General Robert E. Lee was driven out of Petersburg by Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant. Also forced to abandon Richmond, Lees army began retreating west with the ultimate goal of re-supplying and moving south into North Carolina to join with General Joseph Johnston. Marching through the night of April 2/3 in several columns, the Confederates intended to rendezvous at Amelia Court House where supplies and rations were expected. As Grant was forced to pause to occupy Petersburg and Richmond, Lee was able to put some space between the armies. Arriving at Amelia on April 4, Lee found trains loaded with munitions but none with food. Forced to pause, Lee sent out forage parties, asked the local populace for aid, and ordered food sent east from Danville along the railroad. Having secured Richmond and Petersburg, Grant tasked Major General Philip Sheridan with leading the pursuit of Lee. Moving west, Sheridans Cavalry Corps and attached infantry fought several rearguard actions with the Confederates and rode ahead in an effort to cut the railroad in front of Lee. Learning that Lee was concentrating at Amelia, he began moving his men towards the town. Having lost his lead on Grants men and believing his delay to be fatal, Lee departed Amelia on April 5 despite securing little food for his men. Retreating west along the railroad towards Jetersville, he soon found that Sheridans men had arrived there first. Stunned as this development precluded a direct march to North Carolina, Lee elected not to attack due to the late hour and instead conducted a night march to the north around the Union left with the goal of reaching Farmville where he believed supplies to be waiting. This movement was spotted around dawn and Union troops resumed their pursuit (Map). Battle of Saylers Creek - Setting the Stage: Pushing west, the Confederate column was led by Lieutenant General James Longstreets combined First and Third Corps, followed by Lieutenant General Richard Andersons small corps, and then Lieutenant General Richard Ewells Reserve Corps which possessed the armys wagon train. Major General John B. Gordons Second Corps acted as the rear guard. Harassed by Sheridans troopers, they were also closely followed by Major General Andrew Humphreys II Corps and Major General Horatio Wrights VI Corps. As the day progressed a gap opened between Longstreet and Anderson which was exploited by the Union cavalry. Correctly guessing that future attacks were likely, Ewell sent the wagon train along a more northern route west. It was followed by Gordon who was under pressure from Humphreys approaching troops. Crossing Little Saylers Creek, Ewell assumed a defensive position along a ridge west of the creek. Blocked by Sheridans cavalry, which was approaching from the south, Anderson was forced to deploy southwest of Ewell. In a dangerous position, the two Confederate commands were nearly back-to-back. Building up strength opposite Ewell, Sheridan and Wright opened fire with 20 guns around 5:15 PM. Battle of Saylers Creek - The Cavalry Strikes: Lacking guns of his own, Ewell was forced to endure this bombardment until Wrights troops started advancing around 6:00 PM. During this time, Major General Wesley Merritt began a series of probing attacks against Andersons position. After several small-scale advances were turned back, Sheridan and Merritt increased the pressure. Advancing with three cavalry divisions armed with Spencer carbines, Merritts men succeeded in engaging Andersons line in close combat and overwhelming his left flank. As Andersons left disintegrated, his line collapsed and his men fled the field. Battle of Saylers Creek - The Hillsman Farm: Unaware that his line of retreat was being cut by Merritt, Ewell prepared to engage Wrights advancing VI Corps. Moving forward from their position near the Hillsman Farm, the Union infantry struggled across rain-swollen Little Saylers Creek before reforming and attacking. In the course of the advance, the Union center outdistanced the units on its flanks and took the brunt of the Confederate fire. Wavering, it was driven back by a small Confederate force led by Major Robert Stiles. This pursuit was halted by the Union artillery (Map). Battle of Saylers Creek - Lockett Farm: Reforming, VI Corps again advanced and succeeded in overlapping the flanks of Ewells line. In bitter fighting, Wrights troops succeeded in collapsing Ewells line capturing around 3,400 men and routing the rest. Among the prisoners were six Confederate generals including Ewell. As Union troops were achieving victory near the Hillman Farm, Humphreys II Corps closed on Gordon and the Confederate wagon train a few miles north near the Lockett Farm. Assuming a position along the eastern rim of a small valley, Gordon sought cover the wagons as they crossed the Double Bridges over Saylers Creek at the valley floor. Unable to handle the heavy traffic, the bridges caused a bottleneck leading to the wagons stacking up in the valley. Arriving on the scene, Major General Andrew A.  Humphreys II Corps deployed and began attacking around dusk. Steadily driving Gordons men back, the Union infantry took the ridge and the fighting continued among the wagons. Under heavy pressure and with Union troops working around his left flank, Gordon retreated to the west side of the valley having lost around 1,700 captured and 200 wagons. As dark descended, the fighting petered out and Gordon began retreating west towards High Bridge (Map). Battle of Saylers Creek - Aftermath: While Union casualties for the Battle of Saylers Creek numbered around 1,150, the Confederate forces engaged lost around 7,700 killed, wounded, and captured. Effectively the death knell of the Army of Northern Virginia, Confederate losses at Saylers Creek represented approximately a quarter of Lees remaining strength. Riding out from Rices Depot, Lee saw the survivors of Ewells and Andersons corps streaming west and exclaimed, My God, has the army dissolved? Consolidating his men at Farmville early on April 7, Lee was able to partially re-provision his men before being forced out by early afternoon. Pushed west and eventually cornered at Appomattox Court House, Lee surrendered his army on April 9.

The Writing Process

The Writing Process The Writing Process The Writing Process By Ali Hale Whether you know it or not, there’s a process to writing – which many writers follow naturally. If you’re just getting started as a writer, though, or if you always find it a struggle to produce an essay, short story or blog, following the writing process will help. I’m going to explain what each stage of the writing process involves, and I’ll offer some tips for each section that will help out if you’re still feeling stuck! 1. Prewriting Have you ever sat staring at a blank piece of paper or a blank document on your computer screen? You might have skipped the vital first stage of the writing process: prewriting. This covers everything you do before starting your rough draft. As a minimum, prewriting means coming up with an idea! Ideas and Inspiration Ideas are all around you. If you want to write but you don’t have any ideas, try: Using a writing prompt to get you started. Writing about incidents from your daily life, or childhood. Keeping a notebook of ideas – jotting down those thoughts that occur throughout the day. Creating a vivid character, and then writing about him/her. See also How to Generate Hundreds of Writing Ideas. Tip: Once you have an idea, you need to expand on it. Don’t make the mistake of jumping straight into your writing – you’ll end up with a badly structured piece. Building on Your Idea These are a couple of popular methods you can use to add flesh to the bones of your idea: Free writing: Open a new document or start a new page, and write everything that comes into your head about your chosen topic. Don’t stop to edit, even if you make mistakes. Brainstorming: Write the idea or topic in the center of your page. Jot down ideas that arise from it – sub-topics or directions you could take with the article. Once you’ve done one or both of these, you need to select what’s going into your first draft. Planning and Structure Some pieces of writing will require more planning than others. Typically, longer pieces and academic papers need a lot of thought at this stage. First, decide which ideas you’ll use. During your free writing and brainstorming, you’ll have come up with lots of thoughts. Some belong in this piece of writing: others can be kept for another time. Then, decide how to order those ideas. Try to have a logical progression. Sometimes, your topic will make this easy: in this article, for instance, it made sense to take each step of the writing process in order. For a short story, try the eight-point story arc. 2. Writing Sit down with your plan beside you, and start your first draft (also known as the rough draft or rough copy). At this stage, don’t think about word-count, grammar, spelling and punctuation. Don’t worry if you’ve gone off-topic, or if some sections of your plan don’t fit too well. Just keep writing! If you’re a new writer, you might be surprised that professional authors go through multiple drafts before they’re happy with their work. This is a normal part of the writing process – no-one gets it right first time. Some things that many writers find helpful when working on the first draft include: Setting aside at least thirty minutes to concentrate: it’s hard to establish a writing flow if you’re just snatching a few minutes here and there. Going somewhere without interruptions: a library or coffee shop can work well, if you don’t have anywhere quiet to write at home. Switching off distracting programs: if you write your first draft onto a computer, you might find that turning off your Internet connection does wonders for your concentration levels! When I’m writing fiction, I like to use the free program Dark Room (you can find more about it on our collection of writing software). You might write several drafts, especially if you’re working on fiction. Your subsequent drafts will probably merge elements of the writing stage and the revising stage. Tip: Writing requires concentration and energy. If you’re a new writer, don’t try to write for hours without stopping. Instead, give yourself a time limit (like thirty minutes) to really focus – without checking your email! 3. Revising Revising your work is about making â€Å"big picture† changes. You might remove whole sections, rewrite entire paragraphs, and add in information which you’ve realized the reader will need. Everyone needs to revise – even talented writers. The revision stage is sometimes summed up with the A.R.R.R. (Adding, Rearranging, Removing, Replacing) approach: Adding What else does the reader need to know? If you haven’t met the required word-count, what areas could you expand on? This is a good point to go back to your prewriting notes – look for ideas which you didn’t use. Rearranging Even when you’ve planned your piece, sections may need rearranging. Perhaps as you wrote your essay, you found that the argument would flow better if you reordered your paragraphs. Maybe you’ve written a short story that drags in the middle but packs in too much at the end. Removing Sometimes, one of your ideas doesn’t work out. Perhaps you’ve gone over the word count, and you need to take out a few paragraphs. Maybe that funny story doesn’t really fit with the rest of your article. Replacing Would more vivid details help bring your piece to life? Do you need to look for stronger examples and quotations to support your argument? If a particular paragraph isn’t working, try rewriting it. Tip: If you’re not sure what’s working and what isn’t, show your writing to someone else. This might be a writers’ circle, or just a friend who’s good with words. Ask them for feedback. It’s best if you can show your work to several people, so that you can get more than one opinion. 4. Editing The editing stage is distinct from revision, and needs to be done after revising. Editing involves the close-up view of individual sentences and words. It needs to be done after you’ve made revisions on a big scale: or else you could agonize over a perfect sentence, only to end up cutting that whole paragraph from your piece. When editing, go through your piece line by line, and make sure that each sentence, phrase and word is as strong as possible. Some things to check for are: Have you used the same word too many times in one sentence or paragraph? Use a thesaurus to find alternatives. Are any of your sentences hard to understand? Rewrite them to make your thoughts clear. Which words could you cut to make a sentence stronger? Words like â€Å"just† â€Å"quite†, â€Å"very†, â€Å"really† and â€Å"generally† can often be removed. Are your sentences grammatically correct? Keep a careful look out for problems like subject-verb agreement and staying consistent in your use of the past, present or future tense. Is everything spelt correctly? Don’t trust your spell-checker – it won’t pick up every mistake. Proofread as many times as necessary. Have you used punctuation marks correctly? Commas often cause difficulties. You might want to check out the Daily Writing Tips articles on punctuation. Tip: Print out your work and edit on paper. Many writers find it easier to spot mistakes this way. 5. Publishing The final step of the writing process is publishing. This means different things depending on the piece you’re working on. Bloggers need to upload, format and post their piece of completed work. Students need to produce a final copy of their work, in the correct format. This often means adding a bibliography, ensuring that citations are correct, and adding details such as your student reference number. Journalists need to submit their piece (usually called â€Å"copy†) to an editor. Again, there will be a certain format for this. Fiction writers may be sending their story to a magazine or competition. Check guidelines carefully, and make sure you follow them. If you’ve written a novel, look for an agent who represents your genre. (There are books like Writer’s Market, published each year, which can help you with this.) Tip: Your piece of writing might never be published. That’s okay – many bestselling authors wrote lots of stories or articles before they got their first piece published. Nothing that you write is wasted, because it all contributes to your growth as a writer. Conclusion The five stages of the writing process are a framework for writing well and easily. You might want to bookmark this post so that you can come back to it each time you start on a new article, blog post, essay or story: use it as a checklist to help you. If you have any tips about the writing process, or if you want to share your experiences, tell us in the comments! Check Out Other Articles from The Writing 101 Series: The Writing Process Creative Writing 101 Story Writing 101 Letter Writing 101 Business Writing 101 Freelance Writing 101 Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Words for Facial Expressions26 Feel-Good WordsHow Do You Pronounce "Mozart"?

Formulate a Budget Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Formulate a Budget - Assignment Example Since our store is located in the main shopping hub in the downtown area therefore, we strongly believe that this factor would help us grow and to achieve success on the longer run (Longenecker, Petty, Palich, & Hoy, 2013; Ray, 2010). Furthermore, the company also aims to receive a 15% growth in the sales  and  50%  gross  profit margin is also expected by the end of the third year. Since, our major assets are residing in the inventory therefore we have to come up with a budget plan that helps us to survive in the market for at least three years (Shapiro, 2008; Longenecker, Petty, Palich, & Hoy, 2013). Although there have been numerous issues related to the business as the on-hand cash  for apparel was very low,  the company has decided to formulate a fresh budget plan focusing on all the key elements and factors that may or may not become an obstacle for the company in the coming future (Atrill & MacLaney, 2011; Gibson, 2010). The purpose of this budget plan is to ensure that the $50,000 loan is secured. The purpose of this loan / supplemental financing is necessary as it is required for the decoration of the outlet and its furniture and other operational expenses. The investment by the owner includes $60,000. It is forecasted that if the company works as per the expectation then the budget plan would allow the company to become profitable by the end of the first year. The budget plan that has been formulated for the coming three for ABC contemporary couture is presented as below. Thus, it can be concluded that if the aforementioned budget plan turns successful than the company can easily generate an increase of 10% in the second year and 25% increase in sales by the end of the third year. However, if the company plans to expand then the net income may increase as per the demand and expansion. It should be noted that once the

Loss in Baldwins Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Loss in Baldwins Music - Essay Example As the discussion highlights the reason why music is represented is his brother was jazz musician and his life takes a turn once he gets addicted to drugs. The story The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love by Hijuelo is almost similar to that of Baldwin’s. The stories are similar in many ways, as this story also revolves around a musician and his losses in life. In this story, Castillo, the main character loses his friends, brother and collaborators of his band. The loss is personal and similar to the one that Baldwin faces. Music plays a major role in this novel too, as Castillo is one of the most renowned musicians of the band, Mambo Kings. This paper outlines that when comparing these two novels, it is certain that music has been used as a toll to represent their loss in life. The next story, Accordion Crimes by Annie Proulx revolves around the instrument which survives for a longer period of time. This instrument’s journey is certainly remarkable, but the saddest part is the death of people who acquire the instrument. When compared to the other two stories, Accordion Crimes describes about the loss of people who sacrifice their life for the sake of music. The experience is societal, as many people, irrespective of their caste and creed are involved in this journey.

Evolution of Cinema in Nineteenth Century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Evolution of Cinema in Nineteenth Century - Essay Example Furthermore, in order to understand the ways that helped the evolution of cinema, an in-depth discussion will be undertaken. Considering the technological advancement in bring the motion to the pictures, the history of cinema beholds the usage of the magic lantern. Filmmakers made use of different slides which obviously changed the way cinema projected and presented the subject matter. It should be noted that the usage of the magic lantern as the technological aspects was the major tool during the 16th century. However, by the nineteenth century, the Lumiere Brothers used the slide projection of the films with the aid of photographs. Audiences were quiet aware of the ways the films were being projected. The penny arcades seemingly gave a way to the filmmakers in order to understand a concept which was out of the box. It was then the technological aspects of the filmmaking needed a larger screening idea (Popple and Kember). The need of the larger screen was because the filmmakers want ed to grab a larger number of audiences. In simpler words, it can be said that the technological innovation in the cinema was noted when audiences were given more preferences. Obviously, at this point, the size of the audiences was center of focus. The filmmakers including Edwin S. Porter worked marvelously regarding the idea of different scenes in the movie to catch attract attention of the crowd towards the films. It will not be incorrect to state that film ultimately became a way to gain money. This was later given the position of an industry in the late nineteenth century. Thus, it will not be incorrect to state that it was the aid of business that was being cashed and ultimately led to the evolution of the cinema from the popular means (Popple and Kember). Followed by the need of gathering audience for business purpose, the technological innovation that enthralled the cinema was the innovation of stroboscope. Later on, a number of experiments of the photographic methods were un dertaken merely to find the best position. Since the cinema was now an industry, each filmmaker wanted to achieve a better position in the market. In a simpler manner it can be said that the competition was another way which helped cinema to undergo evolution (Popple and Kember). In the late nineteenth century, it was found out that the idea of using 24 cameras in a row helped in taking photographs of a horse running. This helped the directors to find out a new dimension. Thus, the popular culture of having a scrolled photo graphic plate was now changed into a spectrum of moving picture. Throughout the later years of the 19th century, it was found out that this idea was being amended by different innovators in the field of filmmaking. At the same point, people noted that they could use a number of subjects of matter through the films as the motion picture was brought to life. By the end of the 19th century, it was observed that the movies were not just the scenes of the moving objec ts but also a presentation of the communication between two characters. This enabled the production department to come to life since the characters were showing real communication between the individuals. It can also be marked that the objects in the background also got great significance during this time. In this way, cinema changed from a nickel based viewing concept to cinema (Popple and Kember). Luckily, 19th century was the era when the cinema brought the combination of sound as well as visual scenes together with the help of Kodak still cameras and Thomas Edison’

Architecture Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Architecture - Research Paper Example 56). Michael Webb joined the project with the contribution of his unique ideas and designs. Other members who joined the Archigram include Warren Chalk, Dennis Crompton and Ron Heron. Together, they proposed new ways of living that sought to explore the possibilities of new technologies while overthrowing modernist dogma of form follows function (Rattenbury, Robert, and Kieran 1995) Michael Webbs Drive-in Housing in 1966 explores the car and popular lifestyles that point out the behavioral changes in the society and bring out the redundancy of normal fixed buildings. This project entails an insight into the possible utilization of cars as mobile and serviced constituent parts that make up adaptable dwelling systems that consist of cars, drive-in buildings and other necessary services. It is a preliminary study that shades light on the design of techniques such as automated construction, servicing and dismantling methods usually used on the development of large buildings. The building in the project has a design large enough to house component production units in its establishment. The production units manufacture plastic panels that are molded and reinforced, which arrive to their position in the structure when folded up, and then open out to provide utilizable floor space (Ethapane 3). In this project, Webb prefers to use plastic as a constructional material instead of steel mainly because of the fact that plastic has more advantages of on-site production of components that steel. The idea is to transport the raw materials to one of the ports and then pump them through pipelines that lead to the production unit on the site of construction. This is not possible in the case of steel because one has to develop complete units at the production factory usually located at great distances away from the construction site (Ethapane 3). After the construction, completed drive-in homes will have the fixed service units at variable distances with

Stock Research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Stock Research - Assignment Example The line chart provided below supports the findings of the data. The line chart shows that FTSE 100 showed almost regular trend while the stocks of BT Group plc showed high range of volatility. The volatility of the stocks of BT Group plc were especially high during the months of February. March and May 2014. This was due to the fact that during February, 2014 , BT Group plc had a slow pace of business activities as their work of setting up phone fixed lines were hampered and pushed back up to a month due to heavy rainfall and floods in certain areas of UK. it can be seen that the company has given for two times and the valuation of dividend as per DDM model under CAPM is 9.90 per share. BT Group plc is a company which falls in the Communications sector of industry. It extends its services to not only United kingdom but also other 170 countries across the world. It provides services such as fixed line calling, broadband, television products and even has launched itself into information technology services (networked). The main customers of the company are various multinational corporations, private domestic businesses, and various national and local governments. It presently has a market capital of around  £ 31.04 and its head quarters is situated in London.( Hargreves Lansdown, 2014) Since the analysis has not mentioned any stipulated time frame hence we consider one year as the time period of speculation. The financial year that has been selected for the analysis is financial year 2013-14. The data tables provided below shows the Risk adjusted returns of BT Group plc and FTSE 100 for the past one year 2013-14 and its comparison (Yahoo finance, 2014) It is seen that mostly BT Group plc has positive returns in comparison to the market except during three instances on the dates 3rd February 2014, 3rd March 2014 and 1st May 2014. The line chart provided below supports the

Safety Of Genetically Engineered Foods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Safety Of Genetically Engineered Foods - Essay Example Various organizations across the world have raised concern about the use of GM foods. The organizations have criticized the agribusiness sector for maximizing their profits without taking the health of citizens into consideration. The government too is facing the blame for not passing policies that could regulate the foods. The genetically modified foods cause environmental hazards. The foods cause harm to other organisms. Experts gave the example of pollen grains from modified corn plan. It resulted in an increase in mortality rates in the butterfly caterpillars. It is obvious butterfly caterpillars do not consume cones, but the wind could blow toxins from the cones into their food (Carter, 2011). Toxins from GM foods kill many organisms. Researchers have found it hard designing toxins that could only be harmful to bad insects. It is proof that the toxins pose potential risks to the survival of organisms. GM foods pose a threat to the effectiveness of pesticides. They make pesticides that fight harmful insects to be useless. Example of this is the DDT pesticide. The toxins from GM foods made mosquitoes be resistant towards the pesticide. There are objections to this point of view. Some researchers argue that the toxins being a threat to the effectiveness of pesticides are a good idea (Subramanian, 2007). They argue that pesticides cause ecological damage. The researchers do not consider the harmful side of the insects. GM foods produce Bt toxins. The researchers argue that the Bt toxins would help clear the effects of synthetic chemical pesticides. The GM plants could be harmful to beneficial insects. The Bt toxin could kill insects within a very short time. There are insects that assist in controlling maize pests, for example, the green lacewings.

Stock Research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Stock Research - Assignment Example The line chart provided below supports the findings of the data. The line chart shows that FTSE 100 showed almost regular trend while the stocks of BT Group plc showed high range of volatility. The volatility of the stocks of BT Group plc were especially high during the months of February. March and May 2014. This was due to the fact that during February, 2014 , BT Group plc had a slow pace of business activities as their work of setting up phone fixed lines were hampered and pushed back up to a month due to heavy rainfall and floods in certain areas of UK. it can be seen that the company has given for two times and the valuation of dividend as per DDM model under CAPM is 9.90 per share. BT Group plc is a company which falls in the Communications sector of industry. It extends its services to not only United kingdom but also other 170 countries across the world. It provides services such as fixed line calling, broadband, television products and even has launched itself into information technology services (networked). The main customers of the company are various multinational corporations, private domestic businesses, and various national and local governments. It presently has a market capital of around  £ 31.04 and its head quarters is situated in London.( Hargreves Lansdown, 2014) Since the analysis has not mentioned any stipulated time frame hence we consider one year as the time period of speculation. The financial year that has been selected for the analysis is financial year 2013-14. The data tables provided below shows the Risk adjusted returns of BT Group plc and FTSE 100 for the past one year 2013-14 and its comparison (Yahoo finance, 2014) It is seen that mostly BT Group plc has positive returns in comparison to the market except during three instances on the dates 3rd February 2014, 3rd March 2014 and 1st May 2014. The line chart provided below supports the

Macroeconomic Environment of Business Case Study

Macroeconomic Environment of Business - Case Study Example This paper seeks to address whether the expected advantages of the euro as a single currency for Europe was achieved, while in the process, we expect to discover the reasons behind. The euro was introduced in the financial market back in 1999. It is the culmination of the three-stage European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) which aims to coordinate economic policies. There was a three-year transition period and, after, national currencies from participating countries ceased to exist. Today, states seeking membership to the European Union must adopt this currency as a requirement within varying timetables in the span of ten years based on specified economic factors. The United Kingdom and Denmark, however, is exempted to this policy. Ideally, there is a list of economic advantages in using euro in the European Union. Foremost of this is that it is said to be a tool for political solidarity. On the economic front the following are some of the most important output: As mentioned beforehand, problems not previously anticipated emerged with the introduction of the euro. For instance, a minimal rise in inflation was expected only during the transition period, but until now, Europeans are complaining about skyrocketing prices in commodities. On a more general scale, we have also a report by the Centre for European Policy Studies that the euro is responsible for Italy's plunge into a full-blown recession. (Browne, 2005) In Germany the euro is also believed to have failed in invigorating employment statistics or curb rising prices, insolvencies and general stagnation of the economy. Not just economic managers but senior government officials have floated around the idea of a return to national currencies as a way out of their current economic woes. What is worse, unofficial currencies are currently being circulated in some parts of Germany to replace the euro in business transactions. Vissol (1999, p. 75) tells us that "the short term economic benefit s accruing to consumers through the transition to the euro concern only the minority of consumers who travel and/or cross the borders." He argued that the long term benefits are uncertain and difficult to put across unless an explanation could be given on how the euro will guide the future payment community as a sovereign community and a value system shared by the vast majority. At present, the global economy is recovering but the Eurozone is lagging behind, posting a meager 1% growth. The Germans are fearful of losing their jobs; Italy is on recession while inflation is high. So one might say, there is more than a hint of failure here and euro is in the thick of things. While officials are running around Europe trying to dispel the rumor that the euro is going down the drain, economic managers' prediction and finance ministers' slips shows otherwise or at the very least express trouble. Milestones But if there were a question on whether the euro has been successful so far, the answer would still be indefinite especially if we are to use the foregoing in quantifying a

How to teach a dog to Stay

How to teach a dog to Stay How to teach a dog to Stay Training a dog involves the positive strengths and encouragement. To train a dog to stay when commanded is a useful advantage in many situations. It requires proper time, patience and determination though it is a simple process. This type of behavior of the dog is beneficial to the dogs owner. When the dog gets over excited or does not behave properly, then the owner can settle his dog by commanding him to stay. Effective training can be provided to the dog in a calm and quiet location so that the dog can concentrate on the owners training without any distraction. Do not try to train your dog when he is in the excited mood. The first thing to start with the training is to make your dog sit and get its attention towards you. Do not provide any reward to the dog before the training. Once the dog is seated in front of you, just say the word stay. After sometime, move to the side of the dog and behind the dog but do not move away from your dog. If your dog does not move then offer him a treat. You can try to go a bit away from the dog. But, he gets up from his place and moves around you, then place him in the original location and command him to sit. Repeat this process until the dog gets seated in his position even if you move away from him. In the initial stage, let your dog sit only for 15 to 20 minutes. Once the dog continues to sit and stay at the same place even if you are moving, then proceed further to the next step. Now start increasing the distance from the dog. Instruct the dog to sit at the same place as before and you try to move some yards away from your dog. Reward the dog as before if he does not move from its position. Start increasing the time as the dog understands the command to stay. Train your dog in such a way that he will remain in the seated position without a move when you are out of that room for some time. Here are some additional tips with basic techniques to successfully train a dog to stay. During the training session of a dog, you should remain generous in treating your dog as well as in giving the rewards. Try to keep the sessions of small duration at least in the beginning. You can take several sessions in a day of 10-15 minutes. Instruct your dog by making it as a game. The dog cannot immediately understand your commands. So, if it does not perform up to your mark, then instead of punishing him, just do not reward him. Remember that not to provide any kind of training when the dog is in dangerous situation or any bad circumstances. Try to get him out of that situation and make him feel relax by diverting his mind in playing his favorite games.

Free Essays - Chronicle of a Death Foretold :: Chronicle Death Foretold Essays

The Understanding of Characters Through Relationships Relationships create strong holds in novels. They give a sense of what to base a character's acts and decision's on. Through how the author uses their tone and descriptions, relating to relationships, a sense of characterization can be developed. "Anna Karenina", by Leo Tolstoy, translated by Joel Carmichael, and "Chronicle of a Death Foretold", by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, translated by Gregory Rabassa, are no exception to this clause. Relationships form throughout these novels, by incorporating literary elements like characterization romanticism and realism, giving characters a sense of who they are, and the reader a sense of their role and reference to the story. In "Anna Karenina", relationships are built throughout the story helping for the reader to understand characters and who they are. One of the two major relationships taking place in the novel is between Anna Karenina and Levin. Anna Karenina, arguably the most important character to the novel, gets many of her key traits brought forth by relationship problems. Anna's search through her quest for love is purely emotional, and at the end of her character's life Anna's reason fails her. She has too much feeling and emotion, a trait shared by many of Tolstoy's characters. Her feeling from her relationship tend to overpower her thoughts and opinions, giving the novel a sense of romanticism. She becomes disgruntle. In the end, Anna can't hold her own wits. Tolstoy uses characterization to present Anna, through the relationships she has it can be understood her attitude and personal qualities. Levin, one of the main partners in a relationship with Anna, is the hero of Anna Karenina. Through Tolstoy's tone and description in the interaction between Anna and Levin it is almost gathered that Levin was created to merely point out his superiority, and his relationships with Anna does directly that. Where Anna continually maneuvers hysterically to achieve the perfect romance, Levin strives to find coherence in life and death, love and work. This can be discovered through the characterization directed towards Levin. Anna becomes a portrait of alienation through this relationship. Levin finds harmony with those around him. In Anna, you find a moral collapse, while in Levin, you see Tolstoy's hopes and joys of his future. Anna and Levin show a variation of character traits brought forth from their relationship. The second great relationship taking place forms between Vronsky and Kitty.

Comparison King rat and mcKenzies Boots :: essays papers

Comparison King rat and mcKenzies Boots Wartime. It is a time of pain, a time of agony, a time of great suffering. Yet through all the hardships of war, there always arises heroes, people who soar above all to rid the world of the evil that is war. What is it about such heroes that make them standout from the rest? More importantly, what is it about soldiers that enable them to survive the atrocities of war? There are many possible answers to this question such as being in top physical condition and having the proper combat and weapon training. More importantly, a time of war can take a heavy toll on one's mind and a person must have great mental strength in order to deal with the death, pain, and terror that result from war. Survival in war may depend more on mental strength than on physical strength. One important aspect of mental strength is having the will to survive and not giving up at all. In order to be strong mentally, one must also be able to block out all emotions and morals that could lead to weak ness and even lead to death. Having a good companion at a time of war could also be very helpful in the building of mental strength. All of these elements show how mental strength can be very important when it comes to surviving an unforgiving war. What exactly is the will to survive? A couple of scenarios explains it best. For example, it is what keeps a severely wounded man alive long enough until proper medical attention arrives. It is what prevents a soldier from going insane when things get uncontrollably out of hand. It is these things and a great deal more. In the novel King Rat by James Clavell, the character known as the King showed he had a very strong will to survive. He was stuck in a Japanese prison camp for the past couple of years and he had refused to give up on his life like the others. A good example of this was when a fellow prisoner had just died and he was talking to the doctor who had been in charge of him. "What'd he die of?" "Lack of spirit." The doctor stifled a yawn. His teeth were stained and dirty, and his hair lank and dirty, and his hands pink and spotless.

Women in Combat

Women In Combat â€Å"From Kelly Flinn to G. I. Jane, controversy has raged in recent months over whether women are fit for military service† (Brown 326). In the articles â€Å"Women Unfit for Combat? Au Contraire! † and â€Å"Women are not a Warrior Class,† both authors convey their thoughts on women in combat. Both authors give many reasons why or why not women should be allowed to fight in combat. Timothy Brown, the author of â€Å"Women Unfit for Combat? Au Contraire! gives many more strong examples to argue his case than the author of â€Å"Women are not a Warrior Class† and, consequently, has a more persuasive essay. In an effort to discourage women from considering combat rolls in the military, Paul Hackett, one of the authors of â€Å"Women are not a Warrior Class,† made this bold statement in his argument, â€Å"Can women master the skills and strategies of combat as well as men? Yes. Can women mentally endure the rigors of combat as well as men? Yes. Can women meet the physical rigors of combat at the level required by the U. S. orces and in particular the U. S. Marine Corps? Absolutely not! † Is it fair to assume that women are incapable of having the stability to fight in combat? Brown uses the women commandos of Nicaragua who fought for their country to argue his point that if given the opportunity and encouragement, American women could effectively perform well in combat. Since the beginning of time, women have been viewed as the weaker sex. Through the years, the stature of women in society has grown, leading a way for women to become not the male’s possession but his equal. This is not true all the time, especially when dealing with women in combat. James Collins another author of â€Å"Women Unfit for Combat† argues that when women are put in life threatening conditions, many of them would rise to the challenge, but he doesn’t believe that women should be allowed to be on the front line in combat. As Brown explains, anyone who wants to fight on the front line for his/her country should be able to, regardless of sex. Women have proved themselves to be fully capable in doing most jobs a man can do. It’s not an issue of who is better. â€Å"In terms of the demands of infantry warfare, women have proved themselves capable of fighting under even the most arduous of conditions† (Brown 327). According to Elizabeth Cady Stanton, â€Å"all men and women are created equal† (WIC). Brown supports this statement made by Stanton by using personal experiences of women such as Angelica Maria. â€Å"A legend among her male peers, Angelica Maria then continued as commander of her almost all-male platoon until, wounded in ombat for a seventh time, she was forced to seek medical attention† (Brown 326). Hackett on the other hand says â€Å"The marine Corps grunts are the Olympic gold medallists when it comes to combat. If for the sake of diversity and political correctness we want to include a women in combat, then consider the cost of that decision: the silver medal in combat is defeat† (Hackett 329). The reality that Hackett can actually believe that a woman i n combat would lead to defeat is absurd and degrading to the entire female population. As Brown believes, women should be able to fight for their country, without being demoralized while doing so. Not only does Timothy Brown convince his readers that woman in combat is more than just about women’s rights and morals. He convinces his readers that women in combat are about the ability to make dreams come true is what really matters. By doing so, he is paving the way for many other men and women to speak their mind on this very important issue and also helping women progress in the field of combat. Bibliography Work Cited Brown, Timothy C. â€Å"Women Unfit for Combat? Au Contraire,† The Structure of Argument. 1994. Bedford/St. Martin’s Collins, James, Paul L. Hackett, Bill Norton. â€Å"Women are not a Warrior Class,† The Structure of Argument. 1994. Bedford/St. Martin’s The New American Desk Encyclopedia Penguin Group, New York, 1998 Women’s History in America Presented by Women’s International Center (WIC) www. wic. org/misc/history. htm Word Count: 638 Women in Combat Women In Combat â€Å"From Kelly Flinn to G. I. Jane, controversy has raged in recent months over whether women are fit for military service† (Brown 326). In the articles â€Å"Women Unfit for Combat? Au Contraire! † and â€Å"Women are not a Warrior Class,† both authors convey their thoughts on women in combat. Both authors give many reasons why or why not women should be allowed to fight in combat. Timothy Brown, the author of â€Å"Women Unfit for Combat? Au Contraire! gives many more strong examples to argue his case than the author of â€Å"Women are not a Warrior Class† and, consequently, has a more persuasive essay. In an effort to discourage women from considering combat rolls in the military, Paul Hackett, one of the authors of â€Å"Women are not a Warrior Class,† made this bold statement in his argument, â€Å"Can women master the skills and strategies of combat as well as men? Yes. Can women mentally endure the rigors of combat as well as men? Yes. Can women meet the physical rigors of combat at the level required by the U. S. orces and in particular the U. S. Marine Corps? Absolutely not! † Is it fair to assume that women are incapable of having the stability to fight in combat? Brown uses the women commandos of Nicaragua who fought for their country to argue his point that if given the opportunity and encouragement, American women could effectively perform well in combat. Since the beginning of time, women have been viewed as the weaker sex. Through the years, the stature of women in society has grown, leading a way for women to become not the male’s possession but his equal. This is not true all the time, especially when dealing with women in combat. James Collins another author of â€Å"Women Unfit for Combat† argues that when women are put in life threatening conditions, many of them would rise to the challenge, but he doesn’t believe that women should be allowed to be on the front line in combat. As Brown explains, anyone who wants to fight on the front line for his/her country should be able to, regardless of sex. Women have proved themselves to be fully capable in doing most jobs a man can do. It’s not an issue of who is better. â€Å"In terms of the demands of infantry warfare, women have proved themselves capable of fighting under even the most arduous of conditions† (Brown 327). According to Elizabeth Cady Stanton, â€Å"all men and women are created equal† (WIC). Brown supports this statement made by Stanton by using personal experiences of women such as Angelica Maria. â€Å"A legend among her male peers, Angelica Maria then continued as commander of her almost all-male platoon until, wounded in ombat for a seventh time, she was forced to seek medical attention† (Brown 326). Hackett on the other hand says â€Å"The marine Corps grunts are the Olympic gold medallists when it comes to combat. If for the sake of diversity and political correctness we want to include a women in combat, then consider the cost of that decision: the silver medal in combat is defeat† (Hackett 329). The reality that Hackett can actually believe that a woman i n combat would lead to defeat is absurd and degrading to the entire female population. As Brown believes, women should be able to fight for their country, without being demoralized while doing so. Not only does Timothy Brown convince his readers that woman in combat is more than just about women’s rights and morals. He convinces his readers that women in combat are about the ability to make dreams come true is what really matters. By doing so, he is paving the way for many other men and women to speak their mind on this very important issue and also helping women progress in the field of combat. Bibliography Work Cited Brown, Timothy C. â€Å"Women Unfit for Combat? Au Contraire,† The Structure of Argument. 1994. Bedford/St. Martin’s Collins, James, Paul L. Hackett, Bill Norton. â€Å"Women are not a Warrior Class,† The Structure of Argument. 1994. Bedford/St. Martin’s The New American Desk Encyclopedia Penguin Group, New York, 1998 Women’s History in America Presented by Women’s International Center (WIC) www. wic. org/misc/history. htm Word Count: 638 Women in Combat Women In Combat â€Å"From Kelly Flinn to G. I. Jane, controversy has raged in recent months over whether women are fit for military service† (Brown 326). In the articles â€Å"Women Unfit for Combat? Au Contraire! † and â€Å"Women are not a Warrior Class,† both authors convey their thoughts on women in combat. Both authors give many reasons why or why not women should be allowed to fight in combat. Timothy Brown, the author of â€Å"Women Unfit for Combat? Au Contraire! gives many more strong examples to argue his case than the author of â€Å"Women are not a Warrior Class† and, consequently, has a more persuasive essay. In an effort to discourage women from considering combat rolls in the military, Paul Hackett, one of the authors of â€Å"Women are not a Warrior Class,† made this bold statement in his argument, â€Å"Can women master the skills and strategies of combat as well as men? Yes. Can women mentally endure the rigors of combat as well as men? Yes. Can women meet the physical rigors of combat at the level required by the U. S. orces and in particular the U. S. Marine Corps? Absolutely not! † Is it fair to assume that women are incapable of having the stability to fight in combat? Brown uses the women commandos of Nicaragua who fought for their country to argue his point that if given the opportunity and encouragement, American women could effectively perform well in combat. Since the beginning of time, women have been viewed as the weaker sex. Through the years, the stature of women in society has grown, leading a way for women to become not the male’s possession but his equal. This is not true all the time, especially when dealing with women in combat. James Collins another author of â€Å"Women Unfit for Combat† argues that when women are put in life threatening conditions, many of them would rise to the challenge, but he doesn’t believe that women should be allowed to be on the front line in combat. As Brown explains, anyone who wants to fight on the front line for his/her country should be able to, regardless of sex. Women have proved themselves to be fully capable in doing most jobs a man can do. It’s not an issue of who is better. â€Å"In terms of the demands of infantry warfare, women have proved themselves capable of fighting under even the most arduous of conditions† (Brown 327). According to Elizabeth Cady Stanton, â€Å"all men and women are created equal† (WIC). Brown supports this statement made by Stanton by using personal experiences of women such as Angelica Maria. â€Å"A legend among her male peers, Angelica Maria then continued as commander of her almost all-male platoon until, wounded in ombat for a seventh time, she was forced to seek medical attention† (Brown 326). Hackett on the other hand says â€Å"The marine Corps grunts are the Olympic gold medallists when it comes to combat. If for the sake of diversity and political correctness we want to include a women in combat, then consider the cost of that decision: the silver medal in combat is defeat† (Hackett 329). The reality that Hackett can actually believe that a woman i n combat would lead to defeat is absurd and degrading to the entire female population. As Brown believes, women should be able to fight for their country, without being demoralized while doing so. Not only does Timothy Brown convince his readers that woman in combat is more than just about women’s rights and morals. He convinces his readers that women in combat are about the ability to make dreams come true is what really matters. By doing so, he is paving the way for many other men and women to speak their mind on this very important issue and also helping women progress in the field of combat. Bibliography Work Cited Brown, Timothy C. â€Å"Women Unfit for Combat? Au Contraire,† The Structure of Argument. 1994. Bedford/St. Martin’s Collins, James, Paul L. Hackett, Bill Norton. â€Å"Women are not a Warrior Class,† The Structure of Argument. 1994. Bedford/St. Martin’s The New American Desk Encyclopedia Penguin Group, New York, 1998 Women’s History in America Presented by Women’s International Center (WIC) www. wic. org/misc/history. htm Word Count: 638

Crown Cork and Seal

Crown Cork and Seal Competitive Environment Analysis Exercise Corporate Purpose Crown Cork and Seal had three segments Metal Containers (cans), Closures (crowns), and packaging equipment. Metal containers are cans used in things such as soft drinks or aerosol cans. These were made from steel until being switched over to aluminum in the early 80’s. Crowns which are closures for any type item such as a jar. â€Å"Metal containers generated 65% of Crown’s $1. 88 billion 1988 sales, while closures generated 30% and packaging equipment 5%. † The mission of Crown Cork and Seal was to â€Å"be successful. To do this Connelly had to take control of cost. He did this by first trimming the workforce by letting go anyone not needed which reduced payroll by 24%. â€Å"The second step was to institute the concept of accountability. † He did this by instilling pride and a sense of workmanship in the employees. He also gave plant managers â€Å"responsibility for plan t profitability† as well as quality and customer service. Last but not leased he focused on the company’s debt. He paid off the banks through â€Å"inventory reduction and liquidation. †His vision and strategy for the future emphasized â€Å"cost efficiency, quality, and customer service. Connelly did this by focusing on the company’s strengths. He was able to improve on their strengths by focusing on the beverage can and new aerosol market. Simultaneously, he improved manufacturing including adapting to customer needs. Environment Analysis: General Environment: Demographic: 1989 over 120,795,000 metal cans were sold. Socio-Culture: The movement away from metal cans to plastic and glass has been a problem as they gain a bigger market share. Political-Legal:Political will play a big part in recycling and the push for â€Å"going green. This will also take effect for the legal aspects as new laws will be in place for more recycling and cleaners running man ufacturing plants. Technological:Shut down old out dated plants and opened up new plants across the US with new equipment. Economic: As higher gas prices hit lighter products such as plastic will be more economical to ship to customers verses a heavier metal can. Global: Connelly focused on international growth. He specifically targeted developing countries. Soon foreign plants generated 44% of sales and 54% of operating profits. Competitive environment: Buyers The competitive environment for the buyers appears to favor the buyers over Crown Cork and Seal and its competitors for many reasons. Major buyers in this industry include Coca-Cola Company and Incorporated, Anheuser-Busch, and PepsiCo. In other words there are a low number of buyers, all of which are very large and powerful companies. The size distribution is mostly centered on these major buyers; however there are other companies such as Seagram’s, Molson, and Labatt. Because there are so few companies for CCS to sell to, a high percentage of sales are dependent on these buyers. This low number of buyers is due to consolidation within the soft drink segment, from 8,000 bottlers in 1980 to about 800 in 1989. Generally 45% of the total cost to buyers went into purchasing the cans. Due to the total cost of cans, buyers try to maintain many relationships with many can makers to increase bargaining power and reduce costs. As a result of this the buyer is not heavily dependent on one single can company. Switching costs are also lower for buyers for the same reason; they already have many resources to choose from. Buyers also are likely to profit fairly well compared to can manufacturers. Can manufacturers must maintain low prices in order to compete with each other to gain share over these very few yet powerful buyers. Some brewers are avoiding switching costs all together through backward entry into the market. By 1989, due to production of cans by â€Å"captive† plants, 25% of all can output was produced by captive plants. By 1980 brewers had capability to supply 55% of their can needs. As a result threat of backward entry is very likely for brewers. It is easier for brewers to do this because they make high-volume single-label products. While at the same time soft drink industry could not easily do this because they focused on low-volume multiple-label products. The aluminum can has three major substitutes buyers can choose from: Plastic bottles, which constituted for 11% of soft drink sales in 1989 along with a growth rate from 9 to 18% from 1980 to 1989; Glass bottles, which constituted for 14% of sales in the soft drink industry in 1989; and steel cans. The aluminum can however is a unique and valuable product to the industry, which is why they constituted for 75% of total sales in 1989. As stated in the case aluminum has many advantages over its substitutes. Aluminum is lighter than glass and steel, aluminum is easy to handle and fill, aluminum allows for a wider variety of graphics options, and also consumers prefer aluminum. Because this product is so unique and advanced, it absolutely increases the buyer’s product quality. Cans have a longer shelf life than plastics and bottles, they are lighter and easier to handle, and since they are coated with a protected seal inside the can taste is not sacrificed. All of which add value and quality to the finished product given to be consumed. Suppliers There are three large aluminum suppliers: Alcoa, Alcan, and Reynolds Metals. Alcoa is the largest producer of aluminum with sales of $9. 8 billion, Alcan ranked a close second with $8. 5 billion in sales, and Reynolds Metals is ranked second in the united states with sales of $5. 6 billion. The percentage of our supplies that come from large suppliers are 21% aluminum and 23% steel. Crown Cork and Seal represents 61% of sales for large suppliers. The supplied product is unique in that they have injected the aluminum cans gas to help the metal retain its shape. This allows the cans to hold more than just caffeinated beverages. Also, the steel is produced thinner to cut costs and weight and there are even steel/ aluminum mixes. In addition to aluminum and steel, there are glass and plastic suppliers that offer unique products based on function. There are always substitutes for a particular supplied product. With the advancement in technology, a cheaper, lighter product could be developed or a new innovative product could be discovered. For example: Bottling has transitioned over the decades from being primarily glass, then to steel, and now aluminum. The cost for switching a particular supplied product would be $20-$25 million based on the finding of switching from three piece to two piece cans. From reviewing the case, there does not seem to be a supplier that is excessively profitable. Even though Alcoa has the largest share of the market making $9. 8 billion in sales, Alcan is not too far behind with the $8. 5 billion. The other suppliers could always come out with a product which would give them a greater competitive advantage, and give threaten Alcoa’s top ranking position. In addition to profitability, there is a great likely hood to forward entry by a supplier. Reynolds Metals, who is a supplier, sold over 11 billion cans itself. The supplier’s product is very important to our product quality. The difference between the value of resources used and the value of the aluminum can to the brewer makes up the surplus value between what the supplier sells the aluminum for and what Crown Cork and Seal can get for it. Competitors Entrants There are a number of threatening entrants to the can manufacturing business. As the market continues to see more suppliers producing cans, and more brewers skipping the middle man (can manufacturer), the threat becomes more serious. Substitutes The shift towards plastic bottles, and perhaps more innovative materials are the threats to substitutes for cans. Corporate Profitability and Productivity: Please See Appendix A Threats to Competitive Equilibrium A 10X force that may come from the general environment to greatly disturb Crown Cork and Seal’s equilibrium in the market might be a socio-cultural shift to be more health conscious. This may hurt the soft drink industry especially hard since they are so high in sugar and there is an epidemic of diabetes and childhood obesity in America. In 1989, soft drinks accounted for more than 50% of the beverage industry. If the health craze were to gain momentum, it could cut into soft drink sales severely. This would increase the market for water and juices. However, water and juice tend to come in plastic containers for the most part. Crown, Cork & Seal never got into the plastics market and this could be a huge problem for them. If they do not find a new market for their products they might be left out in the cold once a health revolution occurs in society. The impact on sales would be overwhelming. This would bring profits way down and they may even start to have losses if they do not make adjustments fast enough. Their assets may also decrease in value because there would be less demand for can making machines due to an increase in the need for plastics making machines. With this massive shift in end-user sentiment, Crown, Cork, and Seal would have trouble convincing investors and banks to bet on them thus increasing their cost of capital greatly. A 10X force from the competitive environment could come from Crown, Cork, and Seal’s buyers, especially soft drink bottlers. There has been a trend of consolidation among soft drink bottlers and they have used this to gain leverage over their suppliers and get discounts for their bulk orders. If they were to continue with this trend of consolidation, it could create a scenario in which the bottlers could make their cans in-house cheaper than ordering them from companies like Crown, Cork, and Seal. This would be devastating for Crown, Cork, and Seal to say the least. Since soft drink bottlers are Crown, Cork, and Seal’s largest buyer, this would likely put so much stress on the company that it would eventually become obsolete unless the trend changed or the company shifted their focus before it was too late. This 10X force would bring sales way down for Crown, Cork, and Seal. Even if their sales were not hit as hard as possible, their profits would likely suffer anyway because of the pressure their buyers would be able to put on them with the threat of in-house can manufacturing. Their assets would not drop too much in value because there would still be a market for can manufacturing equipment in this scenario. Crown, Cork, and Seal would likely find it more difficult to attract investors to their company and even their cost of debt would increase with a likely decrease in the rating of their bonds. These two setbacks would drive up their cost of capital and make it difficult to raise money to shift their focus if they wait too long to do so.