The Seven External Factors of the Market Place - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 668 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2017/09/19 Category Marketing Essay Type Argumentative essay Did you like this example? The Seven External Factors of the Market Place Today I will explain one by one each of the seven external factors. To start: The Political-Legal Environment: It is a political and corporate relationship. Companies aim to franchise with and support political candidates through their activities to help promote their business. Socio-cultural Environment: A business’ development and prosperity is based on the cultural and social value of whatever they have to offer. The world’s view on things are always involving so a business must always stay up on these ever changing trends to better promote and develop new products. (Ebert Griffin, 2009) Technological Environment: The technological environment has been created to update and refresh our views and lifestyles by creating new goods and services. Economic Environment: The economic environment is the platform for all businesses world wide. It relegates a business spending patterns, pricing, marketing strategies etc etera. Competitive Environment: The competitive environment consists of the general competition between companies. They compete for the limelight to attract buyers. This has to be done properly for proper promotion is crucial to a business’ continuity. Demographic Variables: is akin to data mining; used to help identify consumer qualities; such as the age, gender, income, race, and etcetera. This helps determine a markets segmentation strategy. As for the Natural Environment: it is the typical weather, and natural resources that concern human continued existence and market activity. Natural Environment, 1999-2010) Now I am going to explain the advantages and disadvantages of two of the external factors? One of the two that I have chosen is the Competitive Environment. There are many but just to name a few (Ollman. B, 2004-2010) some advantages are: there is more modernization as firms look for new goods to sell and cheaper ways to do their work; a great diversity of consum er goods become available for those who have the money to purchase them; and hefty parts of the public take on a vibrant air as everyone busies him or herself trying to sell something to someone else. As for some disadvantages: over production of a product in the attempt to out-source another company; unemployment due to a lack in profit; and growing social and economic inequality. As for the advantages and disadvantages for a Technological Environment (Some advantages ad disadvantages of information technology, 2008) are: a better communication outlet. With the aid of technology, communication has also become affordable, quicker, and more resourceful. It is known to be cost effective for businesses and at the end of the day gives way to profits which will mean better pay and less exhausting working conditions. Culturally technology has opened a window for all cultures of all types of backgrounds and dialects to be able to communicate and relate with each other. Another advant age is the advantage of time. Technology has made it achievable for businesses to be open 24 x7 all over the world if they so chose. This means that a business can be open anytime, anywhere which simultaneously makes it more convenient for the consumer to purchase things anytime and anywhere. Some disadvantages are: unemployment. Technology has appropriated many jobs while at the same time- it has created a lot of down sizing and out sourcing; that means that a lot of lower and middle level jobs have been removed and technically replaced causing more people to become unemployed. Privacy has also been considered an issue. Yes, it has made communication easier and faster but it also gave an opening to hackers; making ones once personal and confident information public. References: All Business. A DB Company. (1999-2010). Business Definition for Natural Environment Retrieved from: https://www. llbusiness. com/glossories/natural-environment/4964749-1. html Ebert, R. J. Griffin, R. W . (2009). Business Essentials. (7th Ed). Upper Saddle River, N. J: Person-Prentice Hall Ollman. B. (2004-2010). Market Economy: Advantages + Disadvantages Retrievedfrom:https://www. nyu. edu/projects/ollman/docs/china_speech2. php Small Business Bible. (2008). Some advantages and disadvantages of information technology Retrievedfrom:https://www. smallbusinessbible. org/advan_disadvan_informationtechnology. html Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Seven External Factors of the Market Place" essay for you Create order

Similarities And Differences Between Heart Of Darkness And...

The film Apocalypse Now and the novel Heart of Darkness share many similarities including small details, characters, and themes. Both are told from the same type of narrative and have similar settings. There are small differences as well, including the main character’s purpose and how one of the characters dies. The novel is the story of a trip into Africa, which a character is overhearing the retelling of the journey. This is similar to the movie, in which the viewer hears the main character tell his story as you watch it. This contributes to the same type of layering that is present in Heart of Darkness. The novel and the movie have similar settings as well. In Heart of Darkness, it takes place on a river into the Congo. This setting is†¦show more content†¦Marlow was the one leading the expedition into the jungle to find Kurtz and bring him back, but in the movie the captain has another person captaining the ship and he simply along for the ride on the way there. T he captain also has different orders for what to do with Kurtz, he is ordered to kill him by any means nessary. This is a stark contrast in the way people view Kurtz and his actions. Marlow and the captain share similarities in their view and ideas about Kurtz. They express a strong desire to meet Kurtz and to talk to him. On the journey they both spend a significant amount of time reading documents about him and become obsessed with him and what he does. There also parallel characters among both works. In Heart of Darkness, one of the first people he meets in Africa is the accountant. The accountant does not let the surroundings both him, and even wear starched whites despite the conditions. In the movie, the accountant is parallel to the commanding officer on the base the captain leaves from on the boat. The commanding officer has become immune to the attacks present in Vietnam; he does not react to the shells being drop on the camp and does not drop to the ground like the other s oldiers and is even willing to go surfing in the ocean that is being shot at constantly. Both of these characters show the inability to let their surroundings let them affect their life. Another parallel character the Russian and the photojournalist. They both come to experienceShow MoreRelated Comparing Marlow of Heart of Darkness and Willard of Apocalypse Now1512 Words   |  7 PagesComparing Marlow of Heart of Darkness and Willard of Apocalypse Now      Whenever books are adapted for film, changes inevitably have to be made. 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Imagine my surprise when I learned that it was sort of based on Joseph Conrads famous novella, Heart of Darkness. Conrads book, the tale of the sailor Marlowes African adventure, is a study on the evils of colonialism. The two stories at first glanceRead MoreHeart of Darkness/Apocalypse Now808 Words   |  4 PagesHeart of Darkness, written by Joseph Conrad and â€Å"A pocalypse Now†, a movie directed by Francis Coppola represent two outstanding examples that compare relevant ideas regarding racism, colonialism, and prejudices. The two combine film along with descriptive language to portray their mastery during different eras. 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Pain Equals Success Narrative Essay Free Essays

Pain Equals Success Emily Flores Ms. Hellerman English Comp. 101 February 11, 2013 Pain Equals Success Too much pain is never enough pain. We will write a custom essay sample on Pain Equals Success Narrative Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now Without pain, you truly cannot feel and enjoy real success. Jade Kat, a strong influential young woman, always strived for success. She knew with success it will create obstacles and tests to ensure one is absolutely ready for their dream. What she didn’t know was that those struggles were about to hit her fast. It all started when Jade finished her internship with a well-known successful retail company in Japan called JuJuPop, Inc. She was immediately hired to work as a fashion designer. This was only part of her dream; her real dream was to be C. E. O. As people would say, â€Å"do not get too used to things† or â€Å"it feels too good to be true† these phrases were about to make much more sense to Jade as certain situations were about to occur. One of her coworkers, a nice swell well-groomed fellow, caught her eye at first sight. They immediately started talking and had similar hobbies, which turned into dates that turned into a potential relationship. This guy seemed so wonderful to her until she started realizing some strange activities going on with her credit card account. This prince charming was actually using her hard-earned cash to splurge on himself behind her back. She was hurt at first and did not think this would happen to her. She immediately confronted him; he admitted it and they ended their relationship. After a few months of getting back on her feet, Jade Kat was all about striving towards success. She was still working for the company for about 5 years. Her designs were being recognized by top fashionistas. Jade was so close to her dream, she could taste it. During one of the companies fashion shows, Kobe King, one of the top of the line tuxedo designers, was checking out Jade’s wedding line and loved it. The two met for dinner at one of the finest restaurants in Japan. They went over a few of her designs and he was very impressed. He offered Jade a position in his company and she accepted. The two started working together right away on a wedding spring line. With Kobe and Jade’s launch, the two made millions off their line together. The success of their launch has made their line the top 5 to choose from in Japan. After 2 years of being great colleagues, the two decided to host a huge party inviting many famous designers and celebrities to celebrate their success together. During the party, Kobe had told Jade, â€Å"Come with me to my office, we need to talk business. † Little did she know, Kobe always had great interest in her. â€Å"Come, sit down,† he called while he fetched her a drink. While she was busy looking over designs, Kobe had locked the door in his soundproof office. After a little small talk, his intoxicated-self made his way over her and handed her the drink. She immediately smelled and noticed pill pieces in her drink and pretended to drink it. Kobe by then, was already all over her, harassing her and even tried to abuse her. She managed to knock him down, unlock the door and get help. He later was arrested, placed in jail and out of Jade’s life for good. A situation as hard as that is something very devastating to go through. Jade had to get psychological help to get back to the successful woman she was trying hard to be. She had to forgive the ones who insulted her, attacked her, belittled her, and took her for granted but before she did that, she had to forgive herself for allowing them to hurt her. (live, laugh, dream, 2013) Once Jade was well enough to leave the rehabilitation, she rented an apartment and her old job gave her leverage and time to keep to herself until she felt fully ready to come back to work. In the next 3 months, Jade fully recovered and was back creating designs no one has ever thought to create. This recovery won so many people’s hearts and concern for her, it brought all the success she wanted. Her pain and her realness was what gave her success. Jade Kat become a strong independent woman. She created her own retail line called â€Å"On The Prowl, Inc. † and is living the life of a successful entrepreneur. Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable†¦ Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals. MLK, 2013) Despite the struggles she had to endure, success was all she ever wanted and received it. With all her success and good-will, God blessed her with true love and now she lives a happy life as a successful mother, wife, and entrepreneur. References live, laugh, dream (2013) Search Quotes. Retrieved from http://www. searchquotes. com/quotes/about/Abusive_Relationship/ Martin Luther King (2001-2013) Struggle Quotes. Retrieved from http://www. brainyquote. com/quotes/keywords/struggle. html Running Head: Pain Equals Success How to cite Pain Equals Success Narrative Essay, Essays

Coral Reefs free essay sample

Some tourist resorts and infrastructure have been built directly on top of reefs, and some resorts empty their sewage or other wastes directly into water surrounding coral reefs. * In the past few decades, the amount of carbon dioxide in the air has increased by one-third. This is harmful to corals because increased amounts of carbon dioxide are dissolving into the water, which appears to be dissolving the skeletons of corals. As a result, coral in waters with large amounts of carbon dioxide form weaker skeletons, making them more vulnerable to damage from waves, careless tourists, and destructive fishers. Coral reefs are the most productive aquatic ecosystem. There are a lot of organisms in there that regulate oxygen level in water, the ph level and other important things. Without them wed have polluted water all over and no fish (our protein source). * We can start protecting and preserving the coral reefs by stopping people overfishing, tourism, pollution (climate change) and many more. We will write a custom essay sample on Coral Reefs or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Stop letting people around the world to burn trees, fossil fuel, and coal so not too many carbon dioxide will give out. The carbon dioxide that has been given out and taken from the ocean by planktons is acidic and the coral reefs may rot or bleach. That is a problem to many fishes in the ocean, many of them need to live and feed their selves from the coral reefs. * The variety of marine life and protected beaches supported by coral reefs provide an inviting setting for sightseers, sunbathers, snorkelers, and scuba divers. In fact, there are more than 8. 5 million certified scuba divers in the United States who spend money on dive vacations each year. For example in 1997, the State of Florida earned $1. billion USD from coral reef and beach related tourism. * Use water responsibly: Make sure that sewage from your home does not represent a burden for the environment by minimizing your use of chemicals. For example, try to use phosphate-free detergents for doing your laundry and dishwashing. Excess nutrients such as phosphates find their way from wastewater into the watershed – the area that drai ns into a common waterway, such as a stream, lake, estuary, or wetland – and eventually reaches the ocean where it can negatively impact reefs. Always try to conserve water, as the less water you use, the less runoff and wastewater eventually find their way back into the oceans. The advantages of using water responsibly are that many people actually care about the ocean and it affects the people too (money and tourism). The disadvantages are that many of the sewage are nowhere to go except the ocean. People cannot dump them on lands or farms or even near people where they live. I think that it will not be successful because if this is continuous till the future, then it will affect a lot, no more species left to live in the ocean, and coral reefs will rot. Keep the marine environment clean: Help keep our reefs and beaches clean, and in addition to picking up your own trash, carry away the trash that others have left behind. More than just an unsightly nuisance, beach and reef litter poses a significant threat to the health and survival of marine organisms, which can swallow or get tangled in beverage containers, plastic bags , six-pack rings, and other debris. Remove only recent waste from the natural environment, as waste that has been in place for a long time often becomes a home for marine organisms. The advantages of this strategy are that we could make a difference by reducing, reusing and recycling many things like plastic, glass and other more. Disadvantages of keeping the marine clean is that it is going to quickly. Many parts of the ocean is covered by garbage (plastic, cans, bottles, glass) the size of Texas!! It may be successful and it may not. It may be successful because everyone can take part in this and work together as human beings and group work all around the world and make a difference.

Research Paper on Money and Banking Essay Example Essay Example

Research Paper on Money and Banking Essay Example Paper Money and Banking Research Paper G. Bush indeed seems to have resurrected some major basic principles of reaganomics in his tenure as president of the USA. The current fiscal policy of the Bush administration can be called expansionary due to the great tax cuts and increases in defense spending. The Federal reserve on the other hand uses restrictive monetary policy in order to offset the effects of the current government increases in spending on the US economy. In order to better understand the impact of the increased government spending on the GDP, one should understand the economic framework as represented by the GDP formula. Y=C+I+G+T+NX or Y=C+S+TWhere Y = real output (GDP), C = real consumption expenditure, I = real investment expenditure, G = real government expenditure, NX = real net exports, S = real saving, T = real (net) taxes = taxes -transfer payments From rearranging the terms in the formula noted above one can obtain the following: Research on Money and Banking Essay Body Paragraphs NX = (S-I) + (T-G) which relates directly the net exports (exports minus imports) to the real savings less investments and taxes less government spending. During the presidency of George Bush, expansionary monetary policy would mean that the government had drastically increased government spending on the military and other public works as initiated by Bush (Dam, 61). The second major contributor to the increased aggregate demand and financial resources available on the market was the tax cuts which increased real consumption expenditure. The increased consumption and amount of money on the market which appears as a result of such government spending had the following impact on the economy: Increased inflation, CPI Increased GDP The Fed’s contractuary policy which means establishment of bank’s reserve requirements, interest rates and other measures influences the US economy in the following manner: Increased Interest rates. Attract money from abroad for reinvestment to t he USA Control over the exchange rates. During the First Bush’s term as a president the USA had witnessed some major spending in the country, which certainly surpassed savings and attracted foreign credit from abroad. In simpler terms that meant that foreigners are selling goods to the USA in exchange of US dollars and then pour these dollars back into the USA to allow Americans purchase these goods on credit since Americans currently spend more than they earn, so they need some credit. Due to the increased spending, the prices of goods and services increase as seen during the first presidential term of G. Bush. The presence of extra cash on the market pushes the interest rates down and the historically low interest rates in the USA just a few years ago show us that. At the same time as the average American borrows more from abroad as foreigners invest the funds earned in the USA back in the USA the USA becomes more and more leveraged and risky, so the interest rates ultimate ly will have a tendency to increase. Or by the same token the prices of goods and services will tend to increase if these companies want to incorporate the risks in the goods rater than in the interest rates directly (Heintz, 142). The USA dollar had seen a decline as it would be viewed as becoming riskier than before due to the great leverage of American credit system. The Fed would increase the interest rates slightly to establish an elbow room for manipulation and better control of the monetary policy. Unless, there is no change to the existing fiscal and monetary policy to make them both somewhat more conservative/contractuary/restrictive to reduce not only the government spending yet rather the borrowings made Americans. While some borrowings might be good as Americans are able to increase the GDP due to the increased spending as well as enjoy low interest rates and easy access to capital, excessive borrowings make the country and the economy risky and unstable which would caus e investors demand higher interest rates for the funds. If the situation continues as it is at present into the next several years, one would expect the interest rates in the USA increase further, just like the CPI and the national debt making the US dollar shaky and weaker than the Euro. How will the Bernanke’s â€Å"savings glut† concept fit into demographic changes around the globe? In order to provide a sufficient answer to this question, one should use a common sense explanation for the concept of ‘savings glut’ which certainly relates to the current financing by the central banks in Asia of the US current account deficit. While everyone knows that saving is good, the common tendency in the USA is to spend more than one can save. The problem is that in the modern global economy the rest of the world as represented by Europe, Asia and Latin America is saving too much while spending too little. This phenomenon is what one calls the â€Å"global savings glut† The savings glut phenomenon as presented by Bernanke allows one to understand US trade deficits, the weaknesses of the US economic system and the difficulty (existing problems) in doing something with the deficit and the weaknesses. One learns in school that savings is good since it allows one to afford expensive items such as home, car or a university tuition as well as establishes a safety margin which would protect an individual against unexpected emergency expenditure or retirement. For the overall society savings represents an ability to invest in new companies, factories, technologies, plants and businesses. The savings as we know them remain in the border of the country, i.e. Americans save their money in America, while the Japanese save in Japan. These savings thus balance with the interest rates and stock prices. So if people save more than businesses want to invest the interest rates will fall and in turn encourage investment and reduce savings in the country. In practice the real world situation is different. In the 1970s and 1980s when the Breton Woods system was deemed outdated and the capital controls restricted the citizens from moving capital into foreign stocks and other financial paper. Nowadays, banks, insurance companies, investment and mutual funds, let alone individual governments engage in moving capital abroad in search of opportunities. The figures are rather high with major European powers having invested several trillion dollars abroad. For instance in 2003, Germany had over $4 trillion invested in savings abroad, while France had $3.2 trillion kept in foreign savings. The modern day savings do not remain attached to one country with Japanese saving over 24% of their income and keeping 75% of these savings in foreign countries. Most Asian countries like China, Japan, Korea or Indonesia are high savers with the majority of the money going to the USA. The current situation when the majority of goods flows into the USA, mea ns that Americans can spend more and save less. In the 1990s the excessive savings especially those coming from abroad went directly into the stock market fueling it for several years. Since the stock market grew, Americans felt as getting wealthier and thus felt like saving less and spending more on goods and services which in turn would further improve the corporate performance and the stock market which increased the portfolios of these Americans (Dam, 64). The foreign money especially those from the foreign banks would go to the US debt and equity market keeping the interest rates low. The low interest rates would mean affordable mortgages. The increased demand for housing would increase the prices of houses and make Americans wealthier since the value of their hoses increases. This in turn would allow them to save less and consume more (French, 287). Currently, the US increased consumption and low savings rates surpass the foreign high savings and low consumption rates. The cur rent US trade deficit relies heavily on imports, while foreign relatively small spending on the US goods hurt the US producers/exports. The desire of foreigners to keep the money in the US banks increases demand for the US dollar on the forex market and by increasing its value reduces competitiveness of the US goods. The European Union, Japan and Canada buy over 47% of the US exports. Up till present the current system looks like a huge recycling plant where everyone benefits. The USA gets cheap foreign goods which allow Americans to keep inflation at a minimum level. Foreign countries improve their economies as increased production can easily sell on the US market. Still, this system cannot continue indefinitely and it might negatively impact all players. Foreigners might choose not to invest in the USA which gets riskier and riskier, thus putting a downward pressure on the US dollar. Dollar might fall against some currencies. Still if these countries with increased savings did not invest at home, the global economic growth would be halted or the US recovery would also be tempered. The trade deficit means that US employment might suffer as foreign imports would move production abroad. Finally, I would like to note that the US huge trade deficit and the foreign countries’ huge savings pose global danger since the USA cannot control anything. The fact that foreign countries save in the USA means that there are at present no domestic savings opportunities or no developed consumption. The Asian countries which currently power the USA the greatest prefer export-oriented economies and reduced local consumption. The volatile economy of Latin America deter investments, while Europe’s heavy taxation and numerous regulations also make the USA the only investment opportunity for foreigners. The only way for Americans to survive this situation is to remain the best investment opportunity in the world, since the rest is not controlled by the USA. We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Money and Banking Essay Example specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Money and Banking Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Research Paper on Money and Banking Essay Example specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

John F Kennedy Life Times essays

John F Kennedy Life Times essays John Fitzgerald Kennedy became the 35th president of the United States in 1961. At the age of forty-three, he was the youngest man ever elected president. He was also the first Roman Catholic ever elected to the oval office. Rich, handsome, charming, elegant, articulate, and from a well known family, Kennedy became a natural recipiant of admiration both in the United States and abroad. His assassination in Dallas, Texas on November 23, 1963 resulted in public outrage and widespread mourning throughout the nation and the World. Kennedy's term in office was too short to allow history to pass fair and acurate judgement on his accomplishments as president. Their is little doubt, however, that the image and philosphy, he brought to the oval office not only influenced the generation he governed, but also continues to influence today's generation and politics in general. Indeed, "Camelot", the name given to the idyllic time during Kennedy's presidency, is not a dead mythology but a living idealogy that continues in American society today. John Fitzgerald Kennedy (he latest gained the nick name Jack) was born on May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts. He was Joseph Joe Kennedy's political experince was limited to being appointed the first chairman of the newly created Securities and Exchange Commission (1934-1935) by president Franklin D. Roosevelt, and having served as the head of the U.S. Maritime Commission (1937), as well as being the U.S. ambassador to Great Britain (1937-1940). Even though Joseph Kennedy never ran for an elected office himself, he and his wife had large ambitions for their nine children. John Kennedy was groomed for a career in politics from an early age. Growing up Kennedy wa...

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

Fire protection - Essay Example Presently about 95% percent of the fires in Europe are caused directly or indirectly by human activities and behavior. Negligence in private, industrial and public sector contributes significantly to incidence of fire. European Forest Institute (22) observes that among all fires with known causes; 51 percent are started intentionally, 44 percent results from negligence or accident while only 5 percent had been caused by natural causes such as lighting. However, the European Forest Institute (22) notes that there are variations across countries with negligence and accidental causes accounting for between 10 to 98 percent of all fires. These figures statistics clearly demonstrates the contribution that negligence in causing fires and therefore effective fire protection in safety management must include strategies for dealing with negligence. Negligence is described in common law as failure to exercise reasonable care that a cautious would exercise in a given situation. Yonder et al (221) explains that strict liability demands that a burner must compensate the victim for any damages incurred regardless of the amount precaution exercised when starting or managing the fire. They note that four states have imposed strict liability rule for fires including Connecticut, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Oklahoma. Moreover, they observe that twenty two states have implemented negligence rule in their statutory codes. Five of this states place the burden of proof on the burners by holding that fire escaped due to negligence. In contrast, sixteen states expect the plaintiff to prove negligence of the burner. In addition, eleven states view uncontrolled fires as nuisance and the land owners have the responsibility of paying public agencies the cost of fire suppression as noted by (Yonder et al 227). To ensure fire protection in industrial facilities that may arise from negligence, zoning laws

Summary on a research article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Summary on a research article - Essay Example The researchers then evaluated the selected responses using hermeneutics to find common themes and "initial inklings about the structure of the phenomena" (p.91). The study found that there was a relationship between the stress of performing the duties of a Jordanian nurse and the incidence of PTSD. The study also found that the stress was made more traumatic by the lack of professional and personal support systems. The researchers identified several common feelings that were the cause of their work-related stress. The study reported that a feeling of isolation and alienation, and empathy and helplessness were common threads that ran throughout the descriptive reports. The study established initial trustworthiness by the credentials of the researchers and the publication in the peer-reviewed journal Accident and Emergency Nursing. The study adhered to scientifically sound methods and acceptable research ethics. The study by Jonsson and Halabai (2006) had been pre-approved by the Ethical Committee at the Jordan University Hospital (p.92). According to Padgett (1998), "A trustworthy study is one that is carried out fairly and ethically and whose findings represent as closely as possible the experiences of the respondents".

Intellectual Property Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Intellectual Property Law - Essay Example In today’s marketplace, IP is not an afterthought, but an issue at the management and the board level, since it has shareholder value consequences. The critical value of high quality IP strategies cannot be overlooked, since it has the capability of fostering innovation and giving an organization a competitive edge and advantage. Licensing of IP, at a time when companies are considering other technological and commercial models, as is the case in the energy sector where most companies are considering climate-friendly technologies, can help protect a business from unnecessary lawsuits and legal battles, and provide an important source of revenue. This paper offers Greentech Ltd, a low carbon technology, energy firm, advice with regard to the management of its Intellectual Property portfolio, and proposes an a high quality IP strategy the firm can rely on in the management of any future innovations, especially in the area of Low Carbon Technology. The proposed IP strategy is aim ed at enabling Greentech Ltd to maximize its Research Division innovative outputs. Additionally, the strategy is targeted at enabling the acquisition of innovative ideas and research outputs of persons who are not employed by Greentech Ltd, and facilitation of entry of such ideas and other new ideas into the market at a faster rate. The paper is divided into three parts; Part I offers a brief background of Greentech Ltd current IP holdings and status, Part II outlines recommendations with regard to how Greentech should manage its current Intellectual Property Portfolio, while Part III describes a high quality IP strategy that Greentech will rely on in the management of any future innovations, especially in the area of Low Carbon Technology. Part One: Background and Introduction Background Greentech Ltd at present has various Intellectual Property holdings; it has, over the years licensed various technologies, specifically, it holds 20 licenses, from other parties as a way of enhanci ng its research projects. The company continues to pay, as is contained in the licensing contracts, royalties for all the 20 licenses; however, some of those IP holdings are no longer needed. Greentech Ltd has in the past has licensed certain technologies to other firms without proper initial exploration and research of the market to ascertain how to strike a better deal for the firm. The company, as part of its culture, has always endeavoured to ensure that all its research outputs are patented, and that those patents are sustained. This it has done even in cases where some patents have failed to yield substantial returns. Currently, Greentech Ltd holds 10 patents, all of which were granted between the year 2000 and 2011. The firm has recently developed a new and a potential market-leading technology, that is patentable; however, given the estimated cost, ?10 million, of further development, the firm is unable to fund further development of the technology. The firm has very poorly drafted employment contracts, which is not strict on confidentiality issues; as a result the employees who leave are not in any way deterred from taking confidential information with them. Additionally, Greentech Ltd has failed, in some cases, to use non-disclosure agreements, or in some cases, has used them in a

Analysing Product Development Within Dell Computers

Analysing Product Development Within Dell Computers The Product Development at the Dell Computer Corporation case can be summarized with just its name, product development. The case focuses on development of Dells personal computers, highlighting the area of the laptops. The personal computer industry can be dated back to the 1830s and Charles Babbage with his invention of the first digital computer. However with limitations of materials and marketing his vision mainly stayed on what is called the drawing board. It was not until the time period of World War II when a factory size computer was created by army engineers, they were named Mark I and Colossus and they were 50 feet in size. Through the 1960s and the 1970s only the government, mainly for defense, and big business had the opportunity to use computers. As technology increased and microchips replaced the wires and transistors, and financial availability became friendlier for consumers the microcomputer revolution began. In the 1970s and 1980s Apple Computer was a successful leader in a commercialized interface that was easy to use. Apple set the technological pace for cramming as much new technology in to their products as possible. IBM who was always trying to play catch up with Apple kicked off its traditional corporate based computer line, with strong direct sales and service. Dell also released its own branded personal computer in 1981. During the 1980s personal computer sales grew from nothing to $40 billion dollars. It was in 1983 when Dell Computer was started by Michael Dell, who at this point in time was a freshman at the University of Texas. He would upgrade IBM compatible computers and go door to door selling them. The success was overwhelming for Dell, and he moved off campus and dropped out of school, with the initial idea of returning back to school if there was failure with the business. However, with $180,000 in sales during his first month the idea of going back to school never entered his mind. The next step for Dell was to buy and assemble his own brand name personal computers and get them directly to the customers. This is where Dells principle to eliminate the middle man began. With this premise in mind, high growth rates and attractive margins the building of the Dell name began. Soon, Dell would start a 24 hour complaint hotline and they would offer a supply of backup replacement equipment. By 1990, Dell computers had a distinctive line of its own personal computers which won se veral trade magazine awards for service and products. By 1990 microcomputers accounted for 40% of all computers sold. And there was major competition the brands helping to drive down the costs of manufacturing as well the cost for the consumers. With the development and success of Dell and their direct to consumer sales as well as their laid back sales manner, imitators such as Gateway 2000 and CompuAdd began business. While focusing on the competition Dell expanded in to the retail market attempting to gain more revenue. However, this was unsuccessful since Dell overshot the target budget of sales, finding them in a cash crunch. It was then decided on that that needed to do something different. They needed to stand out again The Dell Business Model The Dell business model is a simple one. Eliminate the middle man. Dell sold its computers directly to customers with no retailers in the middle. Customers are able to order a customized computer that fits their needs. Customers like universities, large corporations, and government agencies all have different needs when it comes to computers. Dell also kept this strategy with its small customers. People can order a computer based on battery life, software applications, size, gaming, business orientated, and many other customizations. A great advantage with this business model is that Dell can maintain a low inventory cost which saves the company lots of money. How it works Dell achieves this business model by having a small lead time from when the computer order comes in to when it actually gets to the customer. This is very important to Dells success because the negative to directly selling to the customer is that the customer cannot just walk into a Dell store or retailer and just buy the computer. Dell has a general lead time of 3-5 days. This is the time is takes to build the computer and ship it. This doesnt include the couple of days for the shipping. The lead time can vary depending on the type of customization. Sometimes it could be longer or shorter based on inventory and the depth of customization. This is a major advantage for Dell to be able to ship computer within days. Dell must plan, build, and test vigorously all within the 3-5 days. This also allows Dell to maintain minimal inventory of hand. Unlike other computer companies, Dell does not have to have ready-made computers on hand. If Dell experiences a slow month in sales then it doesn t cost them as much as its competitors because Dell is paying less for inventory overhead. This great success is a product of the new structured operations that Dell has implemented starting with the product development process. Another advantage of Dells business model is the 24-hour customer support system that it offers. Dell offers this option so that customers can call at anytime to fix a problem with one of Dells computers. Not only is the feature convenient for the customer, but it is also very effective. In the Harvard case, it states that the customer support team was able to solve problems themselves 91% of the time. That is an amazing statistic that reflects Dells training program and due diligence on building and retaining customer relationships. Argument: Is Dells business model effective? Yes, Dells business model is a good one and is very effective. This has always been Dells business model and has brought it so much success. Only for a brief period in the 90s did Dell try and tweak the business model by getting into retail. This only proved to Dell that its original business plan was the best because Dell suffered some losses and sales decreased during this time. Also Gateway, a competitor, had adopted Dells direct sales strategy which gave them great success. Dells original business plan is the best plan for many reasons. The direct sales approach lets them build and retain customer relationships because there is no middle man in between Dell and the customer. The 24-hour customer support program lets customers give direct feedback to Dell and makes the customer feel appreciated when Dell is helping them, not an IT representative from a retailer. Another competitive advantage this business plan gives Dell is the inventory control. Dell is known for turning over inv entory better than any other computer manufacturer in the industry. This plan allows Dell to achieve such great inventory control. When Dell went into the retail side it could not keep up with turning over inventory as fast as it used to when it was selling directly to customers. In conclusion, Dells original business plan is very good and extremely effective. It is proven in the Harvard case when Dell moved away from its plan. Industry Technological Developments In the computer industry there were some key technological evolutions that led to a great competition between the industrys firms. During the 1970s the industry saw some great technological advancements. These findings were crucial to the computer firms today because they made it easier for the companies to make, sell, and meet the needs of its customers. The major developments were improved microprocessors, standard operating systems, increased availability of software, and cheaper memory. These developments made the computer industry an attractive market for many. Another development that came later was the battery technology. Batteries for laptop computers advanced which led to even more competition. Since the competition is so great, companies need to find other ways to compete other than resources. For the most part the computer firms used the same technology so one of the ways the firms could get a competitive edge is through its product development process. Dell was a firm that realized the highly competitive nature of the computer industry during the 1990s. In 1993 Dell found itself losing money and in the shakeout period of the computer industry. This is the period of time when competition is at its highest and only the strong firms survive. The weaker firms will be shaken out of the market and will dissolve. Dell was one of the few firms that realized that it needed to do something different to compete and survive. Dell decided that it needed to look at its product development process. Dell Product Development Process Original Product Development Strategy Dells original product development process was very informal. The process was very amateur and lacked structure. First, the process involved self governed teams that had no accountability or management. The teams were made up of engineers and developers that had all the same ideas or similar strategies. Second, risks were not being assessed properly in these teams. Since the teams all had similar viewpoints the members were collectively overlooking risks. The biggest problem with this process was that projects were being passed onto the next stage of development when it should not have been. This leads to fail projects which in return cost Dell lots of money and time which could mean the difference in such a competitive market. The margin of error for Dell was slim to none during this time. When Dell had a major project fail which cost it several millions of dollars, it went to management, engineers, and developers to see what their opinion was on trying a new process. The management wanted a new process that had more structure. The engineers and developers wanted to keep the old process mainly because they thought that structure would stifle their creativity. After a long debate Dell decided to change its product development process. Dell decided that its old process was similar to a start-up companys process and not an experienced company, like itself. New Product Development Strategy The new product development strategy was much more formal. The teams now were called core teams which were made up of a mix of engineers and managers who had different views and techniques. Dell wanted diversity in its groups to encourage conversation and debate. Each group was also held responsible for a project from start to finish and the team was governed by an outside manager. This made the teams accountable for all their decisions and moves. The new process had six phases in which each phase would last around 3 months. The total time for a project was approximately 18 months. Profile Phase- Teams would write a guide on the new product and its market that it would be sold in Planning Phase- Teams create a detailed business case for the product which must be viewed by a senior manager before it is passed onto the next phase Implementation Phase- Teams must design and test prototypes of the product and orders must be made to the suppliers Qualification Phase- Teams build production prototypes and key customers give feedback Launch Phase- The customer experience is tested, from opening the product to setting up and using the product. Early adopters have their orders filled Acceptance Phase- Teams collect feedback and reports are compared to actual results. Argument: Which process is better? The new product development process is much better than the old process. This is easy to see because of the results. Dell has survived the shakeout period and has become one of the industry leaders. The new product development process allowed Dell to create better products because of the versatility of the core teams and also cut down on failures because of the structure of the new process. Fewer errors were a result of each team being held accountable for errors and have a senior manager evaluate the product before advancing to the next stage. Which Battery? In 1991, Dell came out with its first line of the portable computer. And in 1992 Dells portable computers accounted for 17% of sales. However, with the backlash of rumors about unreliable screens, frequent power failures, being slower than most other portable computers and broken hinges Dell could not compete even with their low prices. Early 1993 brought about the cancelling of Dells new line of laptops. Under the guise that they were too slow and not ready for sales. After recalling 17,000 notebooks, Mark Holliday, the portable division head of Dell, calls a meeting with all of the company officers and forces a decision for a battery to be made. During this meeting it is decided that there are three different battery decisions that Dell can go with. At the meeting it was decided that the battery decision must be made at the end of Phase 1 (the profile phase) of development and the three different choices are NiHi Nickel Metal Hydride, LiOn Lithium Ion, and the last choice was to not make a choice really, it was to defer a choice. The first choice for batteries was the NiHi otherwise known as the Nickel Metal Hydride. The chart below shows what some of the disadvantages and advantages to the NiHi battery. Overall this battery would not have been a great choice for Dell, because it did not solve the problem of lasting more than 3 hours like the consumers wanted and it could not recharge to its full potential. The second choice was the LiOn also known as the Lithium Ion Battery this is was the battery that Dell ended up choosing and still uses today. The third and final choice that dell had was to defer the choice of batteries, this would give Sony time to develop the battery and get a good production line going. This would also allow for Dell to be prepared for either battery design. Types of Battery Advantages Disadvantages NiHi Nickel Metal Hydride Takes up less space then the LiOn Provide limited product differentiation in an increasingly competitive market Allows for more accessories Such as communication control and memory management Short battery life, normally less than 3 hours. Would involve no delays in Production demand Can only recharge a fraction of full capacity A less risky choice If not disposed of properly they could release heavy metal toxins in to the environment. Type of Battery Advantages Disadvantages LiOn Lithium Ion Longer rechargeable lives Unproven and more expensive technology MORE RISKY CHOICE Can recharge to full potential Takes up more space than conventional batteries Laptop customers insisted on longer battery lives No production demand studies completed Cold possibly boost sales Production committed to Sony for at least a year Type of Battery Defer Choice Advantages Disadvantages Dell could have 2 options for battery space Having the bigger battery (LiOn) would be less attractive to the customer Give Sony the time to test the LiOn battery Variable costs in both battery designs would be too high Dell could continue with product development of the laptop in general Cold possibly over design the battery space Could give highest return, if LiOn was chosen and fails there is the NiHi to use Battery charging circuitry would have to be designed for both batteries. Strategy and Finances One of the major decisions for Dell was to choose the right battery power for its new Laptop which was targeting the laptop market. A strategy is a set of actions that coordinate the resources and commitments of a business to boost its performance. Strategy selections should be guided by the firms situation rather than by historical choices. Choosing a strategy that makes sense for a particular business is a decision which may lead to superior performance. There are a few choices that steer corporate strategies. Cost- Based Strategy requires a firm to be the lowest cost producer in the market. This can be lowest cost labor to efficiency in operations. Spirit airline is an example of this strategy. They are billed as the ultra-low-cost carrier. Spirit operates 28 Airbus planes and serves Eastern and Midwestern cities in the Unites states. (Longenecker, et al. 2009) The second type of business strategy is Differentiation-Based. This model emphasizes the uniqueness of a firms product or service. This model places emphasis for the consumer to be convinced of the uniqueness and value of the product or service, whether real or perceived. (Schermerhorn, 2010). Dell looked to achieve this type of strategy. Dell focused on the need to connect with their customer, remove the middleman and speak directly to their customers. Dell start their innovation process with asking their customers, What would you really want this thing to do? Is there a different way to accomplish that? Then they meet with their suppliers and ask, Can we do this in a different way? Then they try to come up with a totally different approach that exceeds the original objectives. http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/02/dell-amex-marriot-cmo-network-adtrend.html The focus strategy selection of the battery power would impact the company in hopes of gaining market share through satisfied customers. Michael Dell and his team needed to relate to their environment, particularly to the customers and competitors. Choice of battery technology was of vital importance to Dell. Many factors were evaluated; 1. Competition abounded due to imitation of Dells direct model 2. Dell felt a cash crunch due to their rapid expansion 3. Lack of senior management capable of guiding the firm 4. Lack of structure in Dells product development process, growing importance of the portable computer market 5. Lack of senior management capable of guiding the firm toward maturity 6. Lack of structure in Dells product development process Growing importance of portable computer industry 7. High rate of battery life in minds of consumers 8. Limited life of the NiHi battery 9. Uncertainty of the emerging LiOn battery technology Dell was dependent upon the future success of the new Laptitude laptop product to revive its share in the portable computer market. Dell was hoping to distinguish itself with the introduction of the fresh LiOn battery technology. Unfortunately, the LiOn technology was immature and risky but, Dell needed to make a decision of whether to adopt this technology in the new product line or remain with current technology. Ultimately, Dell needed a winner and needed to make the critical and right decision to ensure an emergence back into the already competitive market along with a need for a significant financial infusion. Tenacious is a good word to describe Michael Dell and the company he created. And tenacity and efficiency will be enough to keep Dell in the game. But to rise to the next level and really boost its growth, it may have to find a little more heart. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2006/09/18/8386121/index.htm Dells new product development process was put to the test immediately as the decision was being made on how to develop a new laptop PC. Market research identified battery life as the third most important feature to customers when purchasing a laptop. One way the company distinguishes itself from other suppliers of perform-alike PCs is by acting quickly on the masses of data it gathers from customers. Information is a valuable competitive weapon, says Tom Thomas, chief information systems officer. Our whole business system is geared to collect it. (http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1993/09/27/78384/index.htm). Due to a chance meeting between Michael Dell and Sony executives, Dell had the opportunity to have exclusive access to the new Lithium Ion (LiOn) battery technology which greatly extended battery life, and offered superior overall performance to the standard Nickel Hydride (NiHi) technology. The new technology would add value to Dell laptops as they sought t o recapture market share. The technology was not fully developed however, and there was a risk that it would not work. Dell thus faced a critical decision about how to allocate resources for the development of the laptop. Four options were identified by the product development team: Option 1- commit to the old technology (NiHi) Option 2 commit to the new technology (LiOn) Option 3a over-design the computer so that it could accommodate either type of battery, thus deferring the battery commitment until later Option 3b dual design (in parallel) of laptops that would use either NiHi or LiOn technology Option 1: Continue with a proven battery technology (NiHi) According to estimates made by project manager and product marketer, Henry McCarty, Dells market share will be 2.5% if Dell stays with the status quo battery configuration of NiHi. This equates to 825,000 units sold over the estimated 3 year product life. Given an average gross margin per unit over life of product of $600 and expected $10 million expected cost of development effort, the expected profit margin is $485 million. There is 100% confidence that the NiHi battery product will work. Option 2: Go with the new battery technology (LiOn) The new Development Team, McCarty predicts Dells market share to jump to 3.0% or 990,000 units over 3 years, if LiOn technology works. If the LiOn technology fails, Dells market share will fall to about 1.25% or 413,000 units over 3 years. This drop in market share would be attributed to competitors already having an established product on the market, while Dell undergoes substantial rework, 70% of original schedule, and 30% of cost to switch back to NiHi. There is only a 60% confidence that the LiOn battery product wont fail. Given an average gross margin per unit over life of product of $600 and expected $10 million expected cost of development, the expected profit margin is $444 million under option 2. Option 3a: Dual Development Defer commitment until qualification phase review Dual Development option has an estimated $10 million expected cost of development and an additional fixed cost of $2.5 million because Dell would have to develop two technologies at the same time. These are the actual project costs incurred which incorporates the additional designers and engineers, material and tooling costs, etc. These costs do not include the product opportunities Dell would forego if they had to pull people away from other projects. Given the new fixed costs and calculating a weighted average of expected profit margins based on the success rate of the technology, option 3a has an estimated profit margin of $542 million, the highest of the three options. Option 3b: Over-design Defer commitment until qualification phase review Similarly with the dual development we need to calculate the cost of the over-design strategy. The expected cost will be $10 million for development and additional variable cost of 0.5% of revenue (2.0% of margin) since Dell would have to develop two technologies in the same time. Due to the LiOn batterys different dimensions and properties, Dell would have to over-design the computer case, charging circuitry, and battery management software to accommodate either battery technology. Given the new variable costs and calculating a weighted average of expected profit margins based on the success rate of the technology, option 3b has an estimated profit margin of $533 million. This is the second highest of all options. One study of Dell looked at the Sensitivity Analysis of estimated profit margin if the confidence probability of LiOn technology changes. Based on the assumption McCarty provided, it shows clearly that Option 3a is the best option as long the Confidence of LiOn Technology is between 10%~90%. It is also obvious that if Dell knows 100% that LiOn will be successful Dell should choose Option 2. If the chance of success will be 0%, Dell should choose Option 1. http://www.mbanerds.com/index.php?title=Product_Development_at_Dell_Computer_Corp.

Free Essays - Alexander Pope’s Essay on Man :: Alexander Pope Essay on Man

Alexander Pope’s Essay on Man An enormous emphasis was placed on the ability to think and reason during the Enlightenment. People during this era thought and reasoned about a variety of topics. Some people concerned themselves with the issue of God, which consequently caused many to question the church. Others were concerned with the organization of the Universe, and man’s place within that Universe. The first epistle of Alexander Pope’s â€Å"Essay on Man† can be considered an articulation of the Enlightenment because it encompasses three major concerns of the people during the Enlightenment. Pope addresses man’s ability to reason and think for himself, he questions the church and the nature of Christianity, and he also speculates about man’s place in the world, as apart of the great chain of life. The ability to reason was the central focus of the Enlightenment also denoted The Age of Reason. Pope begins epistle one by appealing to the reason of his audience. He writes, â€Å"Together let us beat this ample field, / Try to open, what the covert yield!† Pope encourages his audience to use the reason they have been given, to examine those things that have been advised against. To reason about those issues which have been kept in secrecy. He then goes on to write â€Å"say first, of God above, or man below, / What can we reason, but from what we know?† Pope again is addressing the ability of his audience to reason. He is trying to bring them into the 18th century, asking them to look for evidence in the knowledge they receive, rather then allowing the church to spoon-feed them all of their knowledge. bodyOffer() During the Enlightenment, people began to question the church for the first time. Pope exemplifies this when he writes, â€Å"no Christians thirst for gold.† Pope subtly questions the nature of Christianity and Christians by exposing their own sinful desire for material goods. His words are simple, but they say a lot. By acknowledging that these Christians sin, and â€Å"thirst for gold,† he asks then why a man is looked down upon if they do not aspire to be Christian, since Christians have a sinful nature just like that of every other man. Pope was not alone in questioning Christianity and the church. David Hume writes, â€Å"the Truth of Christian Religion is less than the Evidence for the Truth of our Senses†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Many writers during the Enlightenment not only questioned Christianity, but also the church in general.

Kant’s Approach to Ethics and the Issue of Suicide Essay

The Renowned German philosopher, Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) was one of the most influential philosophers of the modern age, whose thought, with its emphasis on the subject, turned the wheels of western philosophy to a new synthesis of idealism and realism in the form of transcendentalism. His ethical theory, developed in his reputed book The Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals, has to be taken along with the spirit of philosophy that enshrines his three Critiques whenever one attempts a critique on ethical issues like suicide as a gesture of self-love. Body of the Essay (Can suicide be ethical? ) Kant holds the theory of intrinsic morality based on the autonomy of human will. Good is good by itself, and the right is right by itself. It doesn’t depend upon the consequences or effects of the action for a human action to be right or wrong. According to Kantian deontological theory of ethics, committing suicide is wrong and unacceptable from any perspective since it is an action that goes against the categorical imperative he proposed as the norm for ethical decisions. His Categorical Imperative runs thus: â€Å"Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law. † (Wolf Robert Paul (ed) Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals: text and critical essays. 1969. p. 44). Each individual subject should decide for himself and act in such a way that he wills that his maxim should be a universal law. (Wolf, p. 21). Let us now take up the issue of suicide. Suicide may be a personally-decided act, on selfish reasons, emotions or recommendations from physical situations (as in the case of euthanasia). In whatever respects it may be, it goes against the Categorical Imperative, and hence, it is inherently or intrinsically wrong to commit it. Kant argues that committing suicide out of self-love is contrary to the categorical imperative because there is â€Å"a contradiction in a system of nature, whose law would be to destroy life by the feeling whose special office is to impel the improvement of life. † (Wolf, p. 45). Rather he thinks that the destruction of life is incompatible with its improvement and that nature always chooses organs adapted to their purpose (p. 13), so that nature couldn’t (or wouldn’t? ) allow self-love to be used in a way contrary to its purpose which is improvement and nurture of life. In accordance with Kant’s intrinsic morality, the categorical imperative also supports a Practical Imperative, that one has to act so that one treats humanity, whether in his own person or in that of another, always as an end in itself and never as a means only. (Wolf, p. 54). One has to respect and support one’s life because of the dignity implied within. By dignity, he means, â€Å"unconditional and incomparable worth† (Wolf, p. 61). Kant supports this theory with his theory of incommensurability, which holds that moral virtue is infinitely better than anything else. From the perspective of human dignity as well, suicide seems to be an unbecoming action for humans. Conclusion For Kant, reason holds the supreme position (as elaborated in Critique of Pure Reason), and ethics as science, is not rooted in religion or metaphysics, but rather on the inherent worth of existence. Hence, suicide is an unacceptable mode of action even from the perspective of self-love. Love nourishes and does rarely destroy. And even when a bit of destruction is involved, it is only to nurture better that it destroys. Suicide is total destruction without nurture and thus contradicts the very nature of self-love. References Gregory, Mary (ed)(1998) Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals by Immanuel Kant. New York: Cambridge University Press Henson, Richards (1979). â€Å"What Kant Might Have Said: Moral Worth and the Over-determination of Dutiful Action†, in Phil. Review, January, 1979, pp. 39-54). Smith, Norman Kemp (trans. ) (1965) Critique of Pure Reason. New York: St. Martin’s Press. Wolf, Robert Paul (ed. ) (1969) Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals: text and critical essays. trans. , by Lewis White Beck. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill.

Learn English With These Basic Conversation Skills

Learn English With These Basic Conversation Skills If youre just starting to learn English, theres no better way to improve your speaking skills than with basic conversation exercises. These simple role-playing games will help you learn how to introduce yourself, how to ask for directions, and more. With practice, youll be able to understand others and begin to enjoy conversations in your new language.  Below are links to some essential exercises that will help you have basic English conversations. Getting Started All you need to begin are the basic conversation guides youll find below and a friend or classmate to practice with. Be patient with yourselves; English is not an easy language to learn, but you can do it. Begin with the first conversation in this list, then move on to the next when you feel comfortable doing so.  You can also use the key vocabulary provided at the end of each exercise to write and practice your own conversations. Asking and Answering Questions Learn how to ask and answer simple  questions in English with these articles. Key skills covered include basic questions, polite questions, asking permission, and providing personal information such as your name, address, and phone number. Introductions Learning how to introduce yourself and greet people both formally and informally are essential skills in any language, whether its your own or a new one youre studying. In these lessons, you learn how to say hello and goodbye, as well as vocabulary that you can use when meeting new people and making friends. Telling the Time and Using Numbers Even if youre just visiting an English-speaking country for a few days, knowing how to tell the time is important. This role-playing exercise teaches you the right phrases to ask a stranger what time it is. Youll also learn how to thank the person who helped you, plus key conversation words. And if youre going to tell time, youll also need to know how to express numbers in English. This article will help you out with all kinds of numbers, including weights, distance, decimals, and more. Finally, when expressing quantities, English uses either much or many, depending on whether the noun is countable or non-countable. Speaking on the Phone Phone calls can be challenging for people who dont speak English well. Improve your telephone skills with this exercise and vocabulary quiz. Learn how to make travel arrangements and how to make purchases over the phone, plus other important words. Best of all, youll use the conversation skills you learned in the other lessons here. Shopping for Clothing Everyone loves to go shopping for new clothes, especially if youre visiting a foreign country. In this exercise, you and your practice partner learn the basic vocabulary that youll use in a shop. Although this particular game is set in a clothing store, you can use these skills in any kind of store. Eating at a Restaurant After youre finished shopping, you might want to eat at a restaurant or go to a bar for a drink. In these dialogues, you learn how to order from a menu and how to ask questions about the food, whether youre by yourself or out with friends. Youll also find a quiz to help you improve your restaurant vocabulary. Traveling at the Airport Security at most major airports is very tight, so you should expect to speak English with many different people when youre traveling. By practicing this exercise, youll learn how to have basic conversations when you check in as well as when you go through security and customs.   Asking for Directions Its easy for anyone to lose their way when traveling, especially if you dont speak the language. Learn how to ask simple directions and how to understand what people tell you. This exercise gives you basic vocabulary plus tips for finding your way. Finally, youll want to know how to ask for a room at a hotel or motel once youve arrived at your destination. Going to the Doctor Nothing is worse than not feeling well and not knowing how to communicate with a doctor. These tips, vocabulary lists, and sample dialogues can help you practice making an appointment. Tips for English Teachers These basic English conversations can also be used in a classroom setting. Here are a few suggestions for using conversation lessons and role-playing activities: Ask students about their experiences in the situation featured in the dialogue. Solicit important phrases, grammar structures, and so on from the students and write them on the board.Introduce new vocabulary and key phrases to students.Pass out printed dialogue to students.Have each student take on a role and practice the dialogues in pairs. Students should take on both roles.Based on the dialogue, ask students to write out their own related conversations using key vocabulary.Have students practice their own dialogues to the point where they can  perform  short conversations  in front of the class.

Global Financial Imbalances Essay The WritePass Journal

Global Financial Imbalances Essay Global Financial Imbalances Essay How the arrangements of global trade act as a driver of global imbalances Global Financial Imbalances Essay , p. 47). Against such kind of economic activities, the trade deficits constitute a major hindrance to economic activities as they reduce employment and demand and as a consequence forces governments to intervene by running huge fiscal deficits. The external demand that the surplus economies rely on is heavily dependent on unsustainable policies in the economies with deficits. You can also review Finance Essay on Savings and Loans Crisis Theoretical foundation Unger: institutional arrangements and outcomes Roberto Unger proposes an institutional arrangement for the organisation of civil societies, democracies and market economies. He claims that neo-liberalisation of trade is based on theory of comparative advantage that is too partial. It is this partiality that has created global trade imbalances. Roberto Unger argues that the current model of comparative advantage used for free trade arguments is not only partial but is also incomplete and empirically inaccurate to permit the formulation of global business policies. His major concern is the trade policies and designs of the global trading systems which he thinks are inherently designed to create trade imbalances (Claessens, et al 2010, p.81). The theory of comparative advantage is incomplete because it has as a premise the existence of an established comparative advantage. The comparative advantage in the real world is a function of a complex array of economic, social, and political factors. As such it is not possible to determine a case for free trade until fully taking into account the manner in which these factors interact to create the regime of an economy. It is these differences relative to unit costs across countries that create comparative advantage. Different trade agreements often have an effect on the patterns of advantage that an economy can develop and then eventual gains it can attain from free trade. In addition to this, the trade theories often find that multiple world equilibriums exists both in the presence of increasing returns and scale economies as well as the conventional return models (Unger 2005, p. 89). Whichever of these equilibriums the global economy leads a country into affects the aggregate efficiency and distribution of the gains from trade across nations. In the process of selecting equilibrium, broader political and social processes are likely to play a significant role. Only once the effects of trade restrictions on social and political forces have been determined and the eventual selection of an equilibrium made, can a definitive case for or against liberal trade policies be made. This is the reason why Unger proposed the development of a more complex theory of trade premised on a set of basic ideas that play analogous role for labelling the assumptions of a formal model. Without the formal model that takes into account all the factors that affect equilibrium, then the trade imbalances will continue to exist. Other Causes of Trade Imbalance Some countries like China are fuelling imbalance in the global economy by devaluing the Yuan like the Japanese did 26 years ago (Aaronson Zimmerman 2008, p.81). The country is accused of intentionally devaluing its exchange rates. Although it is not easy to accurately calculate the exchange rate of the Yuan, economists believe it is undervalued by up to 40% and consensus indicate that the policy of China of stockpiling foreign exchange reserves is responsible for this (Aaronson Zimmerman 2008, p.33). The country has been able to use its huge trade surplus to buy US currency and treasuries in order to maintain a high demand for the US Dollar and make the Yuan appear relatively cheap. This raises the price competitiveness of China against the United States. Acts of money intervention by China to create trade imbalance is deliberate as it spends a lot of money in the market to keep the Yuan undervalued. This market interference by China is fuelling trade deficits in the United States because American companies are forced to outsource jobs to China in order to be able to enjoy cheap labour (Claessens, Evenett Hoekman 2010, p. 64). The purchasing power of the Chinese is equally suppressed because they are less able to afford foreign products and increase their living standards. This makes it hard for foreign companies to sell their products in the country because the weak Yuan renders them expensive for the average Chinese consumer. The manipulation of trade by China is also fuelling overconsumption in the United States by buying up government treasuries. The artificial suppression of the value of Yuan allows the treasury department to lower the long term interest rates. This fuels the western and American debt, over consumption and ensures that the demand for the Chinese exports is sustained. Although such a practice is not illegal, it creates imbalance in the global trade arena. Although the East and China have played a major role in the provision of attractively priced commodities and financing the western debts, the west has also been responsible for the creation of trade imbalance owing to their inability to control their over consumption (Berger and Nitsch 2010, p. 62). Other than the manipulation of currency by China, the country also supresses labour rights thus lowering the costs of production in the country. The repression of labour by the Chinese government has lowered the manufacturing wages of the workers by approximately 47% to 86% (Chen et al 2012, p.86). The country also provides huge direct export subsidies to its major industries in order to boost production for the export market. Finally, China maintains strict non-tariff barriers to imports. This has ensured that the country maintains trade imbalance with other countries and as at 2011 the Chinese exports to the US were more than four times what the United States exported to China. This trade imbalance from China was further enhanced partly when the country was accepted into the World Trade Organisation without inclusion of a clause to improve the environmental standards and the labour conditions. The entry of China into the economic playing field has further worsened things for the domestic workers in the United States in favour of the multinational companies working in China. You can also review Free International Relations Trade Dissertation Essay Conclusion This essay has identified the different factors affecting the balance of trade on the international arena. Some countries are deliberately carrying out actions to influence the balance of trade in their favour at the expense of the other partners. Although there are countries that are interfering with the global balance provided by the international market, there is need for countries to look into better ways of ensuring that a good business environment is provided for all and proper mechanisms enacted to ensure that no member state flouts the rules and policies You can also review International Business Environment  Essay References Aaronson, S. A., Zimmerman, J. M. (2008). Trade imbalance: The struggle to weigh human rights concerns in trade policymaking. New York, N.Y., : Cambridge University Press. Berger, H., Nitsch, V., International Monetary Fund. (2010). The Euro?s Effect on Trade Imbalances. Washington, D.C: International Monetary Fund. Chen, R., Milesi-Ferretti, G.-M., Tressel, T., International Monetary Fund., International Monetary Fund. (2012). External imbalances in the Euro area. Washington, D.C.: International Monetary Fund. Claessens, S., Evenett, S. J., Hoekman, B. M. (2010). Rebalancing the global economy: A primer for policymaking. London: Centre for Economic Policy Research. Duncan, R. (2013). The dollar crisis: Causes, consequences, cures. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Fund, I. M. (2010). European Financial Linkages. Washington: International Monetary Fund. Haddad, M., Shepherd, B., World Bank. (2011). Managing openness: Trade and outward-oriented growth after the crisis. Washington, D.C: World Bank. Hall, P. V., McCalla, R. J., Comtois, C., Slack, B. (2011). Integrating seaports and trade corridors. Farnham, Surrey: Ashgate. Koo, R. C. (2011). The Holy Grail of Macroeconomics: Lessons from Japans Great Recession. Hoboken: John Wiley Sons. Korea-World Bank High Level Conference on Post-Crisis Growth and Development, Fardoust, S., Kim, Y., Sepulveda, C. P., World Bank., Taeoe Kyŏngje Chŏngchaek Yŏnguwŏn (Korea). (2011). Postcrisis growth and development: A development agenda for the G-20. Washington, D.C: World Bank. Morrison, C. E., Pedrosa, E., Pacific Economic Cooperation Council., APEC Business Advisory Council., Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. (2007). An APEC trade agenda?: The political economy of a free trade area of the Asia-Pacific. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. Pettis, M. (2013). The great rebalancing: Trade, conflict, and the perilous road ahead for the world economy. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Rebucci, A., Batini, N., Cova, P., Pisani, M. (2009). Global Imbalances. Washington: International Monetary Fund. Unger, R. M. (2005). What should the Left propose?. London: Verso. For other resources, please take a look at WritePass Journal.   If you need to place an order, please visit our website.

Demonstrating Math Competency through Life Application Essay

Demonstrating Math Competency through Life Application - Essay Example How I applied Math in My School Days During my school days, I invariably used to come across the discount wars among marketers. Someone would offer a discount of 10% while their rival would come forward to lure with huge 30% discount. It was difficult for me to understand in those days what financial impact it could make on buyers like me. In one of the instance, during mid ‘80s, in one of the campaigns ADIDAS shoes were offered with huge 25 % discount if three pairs were bought at a time. As such, if I bought a single pair it would cost me $24 and I had no capacity to buy three in a single stretch. I calculated the saving that I would get if I bought three pairs and that came to 24 ? (25/100) = $6. That was huge for me as that was my weakly pocket money. I immediately convinced my two of the friends and purchased three pairs of ADIDAS shoes from the shop, one for each of us and that is how each one of us saved a good sum of money. Since then I grabbed many opportunities of buy ing stuffs available during their huge discounted offerings. In fact, I truly realized the mathematical meaning of the discounts then. My Outing to the City of New York At age 20, I decided to go to New York City for outing with my three friends during our 4-day vacation in college. I needed to estimate the money that we must have in our pocket before we could really plan such tours. Since we decided to hire a car, our expenses on gas needed to be counted to arrive at the major travelling expense on this tour. We selected Honda midsized rental car. In those days, they used to charge rental of nearly $20 a day. We selected Honda because that would give us a good fuel economy of 36 miles per gallon. I checked map and found that the distance between Richmond and New York was 340 miles. Counting two and fro distance between these two cities, I got the distance of 340 ? 2= 680 miles. For roaming the tourist places around the New York City during our three days’ stay over there, I added another 300 miles in total mileage. Thus, I arrived at the figure of 680+300= 980 miles that our rental car would run around in our outing. Based on this, I needed to calculate the gas consumption and its cost, given that Honda gave fuel economy of 36 miles per gallon. Consumption of gas = total running / fuel economy = 980/36 = 27.22 gallons. In those days, gas would sell at $1.2 per gallon. Hence, expense toward gas would be 27.22 ?1.2 = $32.66. Car rentals for four days would be 20 ? 4 = $80 Total expense on transportation would be 32.66 + 80 = $112.66 Dividing the expense among four of us, each one needed to bear the cost of 112.66/4 = $ 28.16. Adding the cost of hotel rooms and food expenses on this, I got the fair idea what we needed to have in our pocket before starting this tour. Math did help me in planning and preparing a budget for the tour. Math in Recipe Preparation I am fond of cooking and love preparing, serving and eating desserts. A couple of years back, I cam e across a recipe from an East Indian author. The name of the recipe was Almond Jelly with Fruit Cocktail. The recipe had 8 ingredients and the preparation was given to serve 8 people. Since we were 5 people in the family and I was making it for the first time, I decided to go for quantity that was enough for 5 people. The recipe had the following ingredients. China grass-- 15 tablespoons; Sugar- 18 tablespoons; Milk-- 4 cups; almonds blanched -- 2 tablespoons, Leeches- 500 grams; Pineapple

Urbanization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Urbanization - Essay Example This had led to sprouting of skyscrapers and tall building to house the many people residing in the towns and cities. Similarly, many people are building business empires to provide space for businesses and other economic activities. Therefore, urbanisation in the current world has been significantly improving. However, urbanisation has led to a number of adverse conditions and effects. One of the most dreaded effects of urbanisation is air pollution (Vallero, 2008:13). With an increase in the number of people, businesses, industries and other economic activities, the air becomes polluted. This creates an environment that is not conducive for human existence. There are different types of pollutants that enhance air pollution in the world. First, primary pollutants are directly linked to air pollution. These pollutants are directly involved in making the air impure after the missions. For example, sulphur dioxide is emitted into the air by factories in many urban places. This is considered as primary pollutant, since it is directly linked to polluting the air. Other primary pollutants include emissions from cars, automobiles, trains and offices (Sajimon, 2010:11). Secondly there are the secondary pollutants, which are instrumental in making the air impure. When the primary pollutants react together, they cause a tertiary form of pollution. For example, smog created after reaction of two or more primary pollutants results into secondary pollution. Both secondary and primary pollutants are a threat to life, as they affect the air in the atmosphere. A number of activities have been cited to be the major causes of pollution in the world. The first cause of pollution that is prevalent in the world is burning fossil fuels. In many parts of the world, different people use different sources of energy. In many instances, people burn coal, petroleum and other combustible fuels to produce energy. While burning

MPH502 - Introduction to Public Health Module 1 - Case Essay

MPH502 - Introduction to Public Health Module 1 - Case - Essay Example d consequences on public whereas, personal health weighs the consequences and significance of health activities and effects of interventions as they impact an individual’s life and health conditions. The health awareness programs are of great significance for public health stability. The health interventions and awareness programs are making life of people healthier and better since knowledge about disease and epidemics empower them to abstain from health risking habits and attitudes. The awareness programs further work and benefit for a longer time period as the knowledge once gain profits people for an extensive time period. The information, education and awareness about health issues is being publicized by a number of programs including Safe and drug-free School programs, Let’s Move (obesity awareness program), Sex and HIV educational programs and so on. These programs help people realize the impact of certain dietary, intake and routine habits on their health and life. The information about the devastating effects of certain activities, stop them from repeating such habits and enable them to adopt healthier life style. Hence educational and awareness programs are of g reat importance in controlling and stabilizing the public health. The greatest reduction in morbidity and mortality is resulted as a decline in deaths from coronary disease. The reduction in coronary disease is accompanied by a reduced smoking population, a decline in blood pressure levels, improved medical care facilities and better dietary habits. Reduced smoking, better dietary habits and enhanced health care facilities did not only reduce the mortality rate by coronary disease but have also helped in stabilizing the worsening health conditions of public. However, alcoholism, obesity and stress are increasing the risk of coronary disease (AHA). Increasing trend of fast food, unavailability of healthy food and increasing stress level due to competition in the society and industry lead to

Of mice and men by John Steinbeck Essay Example for Free

Of mice and men by John Steinbeck Essay Studying stage Drama enables us to see into a world that is very different from our own and to feel compassion for those who are unable to take control of their own lives Of mice and men By John Steinbeck is a very interesting and compelling text, and positions us as the reader to accept Lennie as the victim even though he killed someone, we as the reader are given many insights that some of the other characters do not get to experience, and therefore can get this message as the dominant reading. The earliest accounts of the life of Lennie and George tells us a tale about Lennie and his accidents involving mice, Lennie who gets presents of mice from his aunt, crushes there heads, because he doesnt know his own strength, he loves the mice, and cared for them, but because of his love for the mice they bite him and he crushes the mouses heads, Lennie is definitely mentally retarded, and as such he does things that regular people would not do it would seem that Lennies mentality was not designed for his body, if he was a thin weedy man then he would have no problems, he could pet animals AND make them stay alive, but things arent always as we like them Because the playwright is trying to establish Lennie as the good guy we are also positioned at the scene of their last job, Lennie feels a ladies dress, the woman screams, he holds on, she starts yelling to the police, he holds, and as a result, poor George has to spend a night in a ditch and what was the reason? I only did it to feel how soft it was says Lennie, even though this is still fairly strange, you as the reader can relate to him and say well, it really isnt his fault. Now I know you are wondering, Why did Lennie hold on even through the screams and the yelling police, why didnt he just let go? consider this story, a young child between the ages of 1 and 3 is found near his dead mother, holding on for dear life, and mentally Lennie was much the same way whenever he gets scared or frightened, he will hold on to it, you cannot blame the woman for her reaction, a big tall man grabbing onto her dress, she has every right to feel threatened, and as a result, Lennie gets George into trouble, and they have to spend the night in the ditch. On the farm, curly is picking fights; not only is he picking fights but he is picking fights that he cant win, apart from his height, what exactly did Lennie do? He laughed, oh no, dear God, how will he survive? George was going to teach him a lesson, but he wanted Lennie, this time he went too far, Lennie didnt want to fight curly, but he gave him no choice, he was scared and frightened, and once again, the mentality issue shines brightly, he grabs Curlys hand and he doesnt let go, he crushes every single bone in his hand, and again Lennie is portrayed as the good guy, what else could he do? The final matter is the matter of Curlys wifes death, this even if he is retarded, still classifies as murder, no matter how much they try to sugar coat it, it is still murder, and he pays for it with his own death, he gave George, his best friend, no other choice other than to kill him for his own good, his strength, has been the cause of all these problems right from the beginning, and although you can feel sorry for him, he should have had more common sense, he was retarded, and there is nothing you can do about that, but he should have learnt what was right and appropriate, and killing innocent people, even if it was manslaughter, is still bad. And so we are given an insight into the life of Lennie, we feel compassion for him and George, we have been positioned to draw this conclusion, well, youd be hard pressed to try and prove he wasnt wouldnt you? It seams there is two cases of murder (not counting the various animal deaths) George isnt the bad guy because he did what was best for Lennie, and Lennie wasnt the bad guy because he is retarded.

JEdgar Hoover :: essays papers

JEdgar Hoover J. Edgar Hoover was a young 25-year-old when he became the acting director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations. His first federal job was as a clerk in the files division, and he quickly became one of the most respected and feared men in the free world. Even presidents knew better than to cross him. A consummate politician, Hoover was one of the first to ride the â€Å"media train† to power. He used the media as a tool and he knew that what people read and what they see and hear directly affect what they think. A brief biography, as an introduction to the man will aid us in the understanding of who he was, and through this we may gain incite into the reasons for why he did the things he did. Hoover was born New Years Day 1895 in Washington D.C. the youngest of three children. He had an older brother and sister that lived and an older sister that died as a baby. His mother, Annie Hoover had the greatest influence on him as a child. She was strong willed and militaristic in her approach to raising her children and running a family. She instilled in him a strong sense of right and wrong, and taught him the work ethic for which he would live by. Hoover was a winner, during his school years and beyond. As a boy Hoover was afflicted with a speech impediment. He was so determined to overcome this handicap that he read aloud for hours a day until he no longer stuttered. Hoover was short and slight in stature but he was athletic and quite agile. He was a member of his high school track team that went all-American. He was on the debate team and did quite well. This is probably where he got his combative nature. He was also the captain of his ROTC company in college. Giving him the leadership skills that he would need in later years. Hoover graduated near the top of his class from George Washington University with a bachelor’s degree in Law. (Powers, pp.48-52) With all of this going for him one might expect him to join the army as an officer as other men his age were being drafted to war, but as sole provider for his mother he was exempt from the draft. He also got his first taste of federal service when his uncle got him a position as a clerk in the files office of the Department of Justice.