Mobile Computing And Social Network Research Paper

Mobile Computing And Social Network - Research Paper Example Currently, mobile computing technology has profound impact on health care management. Recently, a number of devices have been developed to work with an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad for the purpose of recording patient’s health information including blood pressure, blood glucose levels, oxygen levels, and heart rate. This paper will discuss the impacts of mobile computing technology in the field of health care management. Mobile computing technology Vs traditional practices It is evident that vital signs are central components of patient care and they mainly include body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, blood glucose levels, respiratory rate, and other measurements. Today, all these vital signs can be recorded and tracked using mobile computing technology. In the recent past, patients were required to consult a physician or go to a clinical laboratory to check for these vital signs. Under this practice, physicians or sometimes nurses record the patient’s vital sig ns manually and document the signs on a piece of paper or store them in a mobile computer. Once the testing process ended, it would take a fairly long time to record the documented data on electronic charts using computers. As clinical practitioners usually point out, it is very difficult to take vital signs in some cases due to multiple reasons (‘Vital signs and measurements’). ... Currently, smart phones and broadband-enabled devices assist patients to monitor their own vital signs frequently and to upload the result to clinical servers of healthcare providers. According to, Fernandes, Afonso, and Simoes (n .d.), chances of errors are relatively less under this method. Using this technology, patients can easily make video conference calls and obtain instant health suggestions from medical providers. Experts suggest that this technology represents an effective approach to disease prevention and health care. Currently, hospitals also use mobile computing to provide patients with quality health care services. Advantages and disadvantages of using mobile computing technology The advantages of using mobile computing technology to monitor patients are countless. Firstly, this technology promotes the concept of preventive healthcare as it is characterized with frequent monitoring of vital signs, enhanced patient-doctor interactions, and enhanced information exchange. Another major advantage is that it makes healthcare accessible to even geographically remote patients who otherwise cannot obtain timely and improved healthcare services (Turisco & Case, 2001). Evidently, mobile computing increases the accuracy of patient records. Convenience of time is considered to be another notable benefit of application of mobile computing in healthcare. Since patients can monitor their vital signs from home using this technology, they need not to travel to hospitals frequently and can save their valuable time. Undoubtedly, this technology assists people to cut down healthcare costs including lab expenses and service charges. The mobile technology is helpful to identify various symptoms at the beginning stages so

Rewrite Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Rewrite - Case Study Example The protection also encompasses biodiversity conservation. 2. It fosters the process of furnishing the economic earnings to country, the region, and the local community. In essence, the protected area provides resources for conservation. 3. It provides financial resources for the conservation of other protected natural areas lacking tourism perhaps because they are unknown or because of their fragile ecological balance. 4. It can make protected areas more profitable thus encourages government or private investment in the establishment of other equally protected areas. 5. It can contribute to conservation if used as a tool of environmental education that sensitizes visitors so they can learn to conveniently value Nature, and respect not only the area they visit but also any other natural area. 6. It gives local communities alternatives to extractive activities that damage the ecosystems and endanger the natural resources. 7. It can help conservation process in other countries that emu late the success in the neighboring countries. Objectives of the Study: I. To secure and maintain the habitat and conditions necessary to protect significant species, groups of species, biotic communities or physical features of the environment where these require specific human manipulation for optimum management II. To facilitate scientific research and environmental monitoring as primary activities associated with sustainable resource management III. To develop limited areas for public education and appreciation of the characteristics of the habitats concerned and that of the work of wildlife management; IV. To eliminate and prevent exploitation or occupation inimical to the purposes of designation V. To deliver such benefits to people living within designated areas in line with the objectives of management Farwa MPA The Farwa MPA is located on Latitude 33Â ° 04' N and Longitude at 11Â ° 50' E to 33Â ° 08' N and 11Â ° 32' E (Approx) from Abu- Kamash in the east to the Tunisia n border in the west. It consists of Farwa lagoon, the largest lagoon on the Libyan coast that covers an area of 32 km2. The Farwa MPA, particularly Farwa lagoon, has meadows of Posidonia and Cymodocea sp., owing to certain economically significant species (shrimp, sponges, and fishes) as well as some endangered species that essentially make it an important area for larva and juvenile protection. In the biodiversity of Farwa MPA it is arguably easier to distinguish several economically important species and certain endangered species. Thus, it is imperative that this area gets adequate protection. The utmost altitude of the land on both sides of the lagoon is about 2-3 m (Sand type). Furthermore, the mean annual temperature varies from one month to another owing to the recent closing of the east side of the lagoon. The minimum mean temperature in winter is 10? C whilst the maximum mean temperature in summer is 27?C. The prevalent direction and speed of wind is largely NW and NNW. Ho wever, a hot southern wind sometimes blows from the Sahara. The Meteorological conditions of the region are those of the western part of Libyan coast. In such conditions, the winter season extends from November to April and is normally very cold and rainy with unstable winds blowing from different directions. The summer season (June to September) is rather hot and dry. The wind is more stable N and NW. Incidentally, spring and autumn are very short transitional periods. The lagoon is separated from the sea by some 11-km

Combines Michael Porters Generic Competitive Strategies Marketing Essay

Combines Michael Porters Generic Competitive Strategies Marketing Essay IKEA achieves competitive advantage under the cost leadership strategy by producing at the lowest possible cost. Wherever possible, under this strategy IKEA will reduce costs at every stage of the value chain and either charge lower prices or charge competitive prices resulting in relatively high profit margins. IKEA cuts costs constantly and is always asking its makers to seek the least costly suppliers. IKEA also, seeks to offer prices much cheaper and target very wider audience. Therefore, to be able to achieve required margins. Differentiation Strategy: In the differentiation strategy, IKEA look for competitive advantage by offering products that are perceived to be different and better than competitors products by customers due to its unique characteristics, e.g. quality of the products. Focus Strategy: The focus strategy has two variants i.e. Cost Focus and Differentiation Focus. This is where IKEA focuses on a narrow segment of the market. This is where IKEA focuses on a narrow segment of the market and applies a Differentiation strategy. IKEAs Hybrid Strategy: IKEA uses a combination of these strategies in achieving its vision which is Its business idea The part of the cost leadership strategy that IKEA adopts is that part aimed at producing at the lowest possible cost, so they can charge as low a price as possible to maintain their competitive advantage. For the differentiation strategy, IKEA focuses on quality designs. However, the IKEA does not do this, so they could charge a premium price. They do it to promote their brand. The differentiation focus strategy is also used in some segments of the market. For example, they produce customized plastic mats to commemorate the year of the rooster in China. Functional level strategy defines different functions within the business unit, such as sales, accounting or production, which contribute towards the success of the business level strategy. This contribution will differ from function to function, but the overall aim will be to support the overall strategy. If the strategy is to be a cost leader, then production will be integral in achieving cost advantages. Therefore, Functional strategy refers to the strategy of individual departments linked to achievement of business goals. For example, a Marketing department of a firm may have promotional or pricing strategy, while a finance department will have a credit control policy. Similarly, IKEA has functional strategies aimed at achieving its vision and business ideas. For example, under the Marketing function, IKEA increased its distribution channels by opening 19 new retail outlets in 2006. This is to support its business growth strategy. In the US, by the end of 2010 the number of IKEA outlets is expected to be 50, in comparison to 25 in 2006. To support its hybrid strategy, IKEA is determined to ensure that This policy applies to the research and development and well as the purchasing functions of the company. The customer perception of IKEA is that the company offers quality products at affordable prices. Going shopping at IKEAs is treated more like an event to be looked forward to by the customers, rather than a task which needs to be completed. The following quotes demonstrate how IKEA is seen by many people: If it wasnt for IKEA, most people would have no access to affordable contemporary design. IKEA makes me free to become what I want to be. Half my house is from IKEA and the nearest store is six hours away. Every time, its trendy for less money. IKEA is addressing the needs of most customers. Customers buying behaviour usually demonstrate price sensitivity, with the average shopper constantly looking for bargains or discounts. On the other hand, these same customers would look for a higher quality product over what they perceive a lower quality product where both cost the same almost always. IKEA is perceived as providing to the needs of the modern and cool as well as those with aspirations for the finer things in life. There appears to be a strong bond as parents are generally comfortable leaving their children in the shops playroom while they go about shopping, which create a trust. As it mentioned above, the IKEA strategy is a hybrid strategy, which incorporates elements of cost leadership, differentiation and differentiation focus strategies. IKEA brand is very strong, most competitors do not possess the strengths that IKEA does and, which are important in achieving a hybrid strategy. Consequently, IKEA is able to attract good quality of customers and even better is able to duplicate its quality and price ranges globally. It also has economies of scale and a strong research and development team constantly looking at innovative ways to meet its business objectives. Therefore, for the strategy to be imitated, the distinctive competencies of competitors must be strong, they must have the resource to deal with any potential price wars, and they must also have the capabilities to react to changing external environment. The main threats of IKEA come from its external environment. IKEAs threats can be measured with PESTEL, Porters Five Forces and SWOT analysis. Political, relates to the influence of government legislation and regulations on a business. Economic, how economic factors like interest rates, inflation and exchange rates affect businesses Social, refers to social trends and includes things like change in consumer taste and fashion and demographical changes Technological, level of automation and the rate of technological advancement and the impact on businesses Environmental, relates to how businesses are impacted by environmental factors such as global climate change Legal, health and safety laws Porters five forces, is a tool used to analyse how competitive pressure impact on businesses, i.e. the extent of competitive rivalry, barriers to entry, buyer power, supplier power and the availability of substitutes. SWOT, summarises the key issues from the business environment and the strategy capability of an organisation that most likely to impact on the strategy development. In IKEAs case, the main potential threats come from three of these factors, i.e. Economic, Social and Competition. In terms of economic factors, the global recession has significantly reduced business growth as customers have less disposable income and are consequently spending less. With limited income, consumers prefer to spend only on necessities mainly, and saving. Many governments affected by the recession have been putting stimulus packages in place partly to encourage consumer spending. As far as the social threat is concerned, due to a collapse of the housing and mortgage market which started the downward spiral into global recession, the amount of first time buyers, who are mainly IKEA customers, has considerably reduced. From a competitive point of view, there is the threat the extent of competitive rivalry will put at risk IKEAs strategy. For instance, it has to compete with major competitors Target Corporation and Kmart in US, Fly in France and Nitori Co. in Japan. Furthermore, increasingly buyer power will increase as competition increases demanding review of price or even design. This could potentially hurt the IKEA brand. IKEA must constantly analyse its internal and external environment to determine what the business is at for any given point in time and to identify what needs to be done going forward. For the internal analysis, IKEA must analyse its resources and capabilities with a view of making improvements as appropriate. They must always seek to ensure that their resources and capabilities are superior to those of their competitors to reduce the threat of imitation, which would eliminate their competitive advantage. In terms of the resources, they could look at the following with a view of identifying strengths and weaknesses: Finance what is the state of the business in terms of profit and loss, cash flow and the balance sheet position? Marketing they must continue to revaluate their marketing strategy. for example: Are the products priced adequately? Is the roll out of new stores meeting growth targets? Promotion how successful have the gift initiatives activities been? Product how environmentally friendly and are they to meet with any challenges? Operations IKEA could review the strengths and weaknesses of their machines, method of operations and materials used to produce furniture. Management as the founder is an old man now, this is a significant area that needs looking at. Is the management in place currently skilled enough to achieve objectives? Staff assess their motivation, their training needs and contribution to the success of the company, for example. An external audit should then be performed by analysing PESTEL SWOT is to determine the opportunities and threats facing IKEA from the external environment. Subsequently, IKEA should then be in a position to determine how it can use its key strengths, minimize weaknesses, take advantage of opportunities and triumph over threats to achieve a competitive advantage through its hybrid strategy. The greatest challenges facing IKEA can be outlined below: Entry into new markets and segments in US and Japan Environmental challenges Culture and Values As we know, IKEA over the last few years expanding in Japan and US markets. These are two countries where it has recorded failure in the past. For instance, in the US, according to them they did not listen to the needs of the customers and employed a hybrid strategy. With time, they realized that the Americans needed larger sized products which they subsequently corrected. In Japan, they miscalculated thinking the Japanese were interested in low price products when their interest was in quality. It would be interesting to see how they fare in the next 10 years for these reasons, especially with the high level of competition from Target Corp. and Nitori Co. IKEA is committed to meet environmental challenges. Another big challenge is internal in nature. The owner and founder Ingvar Kamprad instilled a lot of the values that is currently being pursued today. A lot of the top brass are committed to his philosophies. With the passage of time however, the culture of IKEA which has delivered such great success will decrease. In the next 10 years, it is important that whoever is driving the business operates in line with its core values, as the brand is one of its discriminating strengths. This brand was built on the back of the core values and business idea. Any threat to that may mean a threat to the entire business as a whole.

Japans Attack on Pearl Harbor Essay -- History Pearl Harbor

Japan's Attack on Pearl Harbor On the dawn of the 7th of December 1941, the unfolding of the strategic surprise attack on Pearl Harbor which had been planned in secrecy several months in advance by the empire of Japan took place and was known and remembered by many as the day of infamy (Franklin D. Roosevelt, December 7th 1941). The surprise attack executed by the Japanese military code named Kido Butai on Pearl Harbor resulted in many casualties to both the Japanese and American forces. Most importantly the accomplishment of Japans main goal of destroying the possible threat of the United States pacific fleet. Although the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor was extremely successful, it also consequently for the Japanese resulted in the awakening of the sleeping giant (Isoroku Yamamoto, December 7th 1941). Pearl Harbor is a simple bay located on the island of Hawaii west of Honolulu. The majority of the Harbor and surrounding land belongs to the United States deep water naval base and also home of the United States Pacific fleet. Many months before the attack on Pearl Harbor the Japanese empire began a southward expansion invading China and much of south East Asia hoping to acquire the rich resources of Asia. The United States strongly opposed this aggression and demanded that Japan stop its actions but the Japanese empire ignored the demands. In December 1937 the dispute between Japan and America was only fuelled when Japanese planes sank the United States river gunboat "Panay", fortunately this crisis was only temporarily resolved by Japanese apologies and reparations. As further tension grew between the two nations, the United States enacted an embargo... ...en as a possible threat to the empire of Japan and also because the United States Pacific fleet had the power and strength to foil Japans plans of invading and taking territory from China and much of south East Asia in search of the natural resources. The Embargo enacted on the Japanese empire by the United States froze all exports of steel, scrap iron, aviation fuel and petroleum, also initially resulted in the attack on Pearl Harbor by the empire of Japan. As the attack on Pearl Harbor proved to be extremely successful for the Japanese, it also consequently resulted in the Awakening of the Sleeping Giant (Isoroku Yamamoto, December 7th 1941). The official involvement of the United States in World War II and also the most consequential obstacle faced by the Japanese empire, the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that killed hundreds of thousands of people.

Reproductive Health Bill Essay

RH Bill would be a beneficial law to the country. It will further implement the population control of our country, strengthen the health of the people, specifically, the women, and educate the citizens, especially the teenagers, regarding sexuality, responsible family planning, maternal care and such. Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, commonly known as Reproductive Health Bill, provides access to responsible family planning methods such as contraceptives, birth control pills, IUDs and other related family planning devices. It also strengthens the over-all health of the countrymen, especially women, with the widespread distribution of the said devices. Furthermore, it provides education concerning sexuality, population limitation and responsible parenthood. With the third and final reading of this bill, it had been recently passed into law last December 17, 2012. Thirteen senators and one-hundred thirty three congressmen voted in accordance to the said bill. This law had always been a controversial issue in our county. Endless debates, divided into pros and antis, were disseminated among the region. Pros argued that nonstop births due to lack of education concerning sexual and reproductive health and family planning causes people to put their health and future at stake. In addition, they have deficient income which causes the family not to receive their basic needs which are education, food, shelter and full support for their futures. This overpopulation will in turn be a hindrance to the country’s progression. On the other side, continuous opposition of the antis, led by Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, regarding immorality of the alleged law contradicts their religious beliefs. According to them, this law allows pre-marital sex before marriage with the prevention of pregnancy. This corrupts the morality of the soul of each individual, based on the Church’s teachings. However, the real issue does not reside in our personal interests and beliefs. The future of our country and the next generation is being risked if we will put first into account our religious principles. We need action. Our country has already suffered and engulfed enough from poverty. This poverty can only be resolved with the control in population, education and assurance of the health of the citizens. Reproductive Health Bill will definitely be the answer to our country’s dilemma for years. Reproductive Health Law will be a practical solution for the country’s drawbacks to economic progress. How? First, population limitation will be instigated throughout the country. Currently, Philippines is ranked 12th as the most populated country in the world. Actually, our country is fortunate because it is surrounded with abundant water and land resources, just sufficient for our needs. However, with exponentially increasing population every year, the supply of these resources will keep on diminishing. If this continues, we will experience the never-endi ng cycle of poverty. As I research, I found out that Thailand, one of our neighboring countries, had a population of 65.5 million while our country had 92.3 million. We had an estimated GDP per capita of $4,214, while Thailand’s GDP per capita is twofold of ours, $9,396. It may be concluded that population is also one of the factors that will affect the economic development of our country. The more the population is, the lesser the chances to prosper. Given that the highest population growth rate is among the poor because of lack of education about family spacing and insufficient income, it will be expected that the other children will not be provided with right education and other appropriate needs. With these, they will not contribute well in the labor force of our country. And if ever they were able to work, their mere involvement is not enough to acquire their needs. This law aims to achieve their desired fertility goals depending on their needs, principles and beliefs. With the right family s ize, parents can feed and support their children. Also, with the use of the legally and medically safe contraceptives, birth control will be a tool to terminate overpopulation, which will eventually help our country to advance economically. In addition, by means of this law, proper maintenance of the over-all health of the citizens will also be upheld by the government. Government will support and promote reproductive health services, maternal care, particularly, for the women, and of course, responsible parenthood for the parents. Problems regarding reproductive health services were cited by Sen. Pia Cayetano, chair of the Senate committees on health and demography and youth, women and children. Many poor mothers were having difficulty to avail contraceptives because local government units have passed laws forbidding the use of contraceptives. As stated by her, these were one of the reasons why these mothers are forced to send the child to relatives, giving up their children to a rich neighbor and leaving their child in a basket in front of the door of the church. This bill would be a great help especially to the poor because it provides access to â€Å"medically-safe, legal, affordable and quality† natural and modern family planning methods (sec. 2). In addition, studies show that contraceptives lower the rates of abortion, infertility, complications during childbirth, unwanted pregnancy and prevention of sexually-transmitted diseases. Due to these, people will be productive and be a great contribution to the country’s economic progress. Lastly, education concerning sexuality, responsible family planning and other reproductive health issues will be included in the process. Before, the Philippine Catholic Bishops disagree to have sex education in schools. They said that it is the responsibility of the parents to educate their children about it. However, do parents really understand the concept of sex? Will it be effective to teach their children about it if sex is a taboo because of our conservative culture? If the parents were not knowledgeable enough about sex, it will lead to confusion and curiosity of the children. Naturally, parents will teach their children not to have sex before marriage, but due to our modern societ y, the children will be tempted to do it. So, why not educate them beforehand in an effective way? This law, as stated in Sec. 12, will provide Reproductive Health Education in an age-appropriate manner taught by adequately trained teachers starting from Grade 5 up to Fourth Year High school. It will benefit the youth to have this education because the period of adolescence usually starts at the age of a 5th grader. Empirical studies conducted by the United Nations and other countries show that there are numerous benefits to the youth when Reproductive Health education would be part in their school curriculum. Proper sexual values would instill in the minds of the young which will lead to discipline and abstinence in having sexual intercourse. Several sexual partners will be avoided and eventually will prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Likewise, they will also be knowledgeable enough how to prevent early pregnancy. With the right learning and values, they will in turn be an asset for the welfare of the cou ntry. â€Å"Doesn’t every woman deserve the right to have a safe pregnancy and a baby that’s born healthy? I believe this is a very basic human right,† Katya Matanovic said. Indeed, Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 will be an advantage to our country. It encourages population control, supports proper reproductive health care of the residents and provides education to the citizens, especially the youth, who will soon be the strength of our country someday. With the passing of this law, people should maximize the benefits given by this law. The problems involving serious population growth, deaths due to childbirth and pregnancy complications and deficit education regarding the true concept of sex will soon be solved by this law.

Nucor Corporation Case Analysis Essay

1. What are the primary competitive forces impacting U.S. steel producers in general and the producers like Nucor that make new steel products via recycling scrap steel in particular? Please do a five-forces analysis Rivalry among Steel Producers There is a fierce competitive force in this industry. Rivalry revolves heavily around price competition because most steel products are commodities. Producing steel of satisfactory quality is most producers are familiar with. In a commodity market like steel, it is hard to distinguish products of one steel producer from another. I this type of market condition, buyers make a choice among lowest/best price sellers. Moreover, competitively, meeting customers’ delivery schedule requirements is also a relevant consideration for the buyers. This particularly holds true when rival sellers are charging fierce competitive prices. Nucor is figuring out how to use low-cost scrap steel recycling technology to make a wider and wider range of steel products. Nucor is using its newly developed technological capabilities to enter a fierce battle for market share in the new product categories. Competition from Substitutes A moderately strong competitive force: there are substitute products that compete with steel. For instance, aluminum, plastics and other materials can be used in place of steel in some products. The Threat of Entry A moderately strong competitive force: it is less likely that new start-up firms will enter the steel industry. According to this case, existing steel producers are anxious to operate their plant at their full capacity. It is more likely to seek out customers in geographic markets where they do not currently have a presence. Moreover, it is clear that new entry may occur when companies like Nucor and Mittal Steel acquire less successful steel  producers and try to turn the operations of the newly acquired companies into strong contenders in the marketplace. Nucor’s recent acquisitions, for example, represent entry of a potent and competitively successful steel company into either product categories or geographic areas where its presence is minimal. Similarly, Mittal Steel’s growth via acquisition strategy has turned it into a major competitive force worldwide. Bargaining Power of Suppliers There is a moderate competitive force in case of scrap steel suppliers and unionized steel companies but there will be a weak competitive force otherwise. There is an indication that suppliers are major competitive factors. However, the price of scrap steel is a key input for mini-mills and rising scrap prices can put them at a competitive disadvantage. But scrap steel prices appear to be a function of overall market demand-supply conditions rather than a function of the power of individual suppliers of scrap steel. Bargaining Power of Customers A moderate to weak competitive force when demand is strong and in short supply but a potent competitive force when demand is weak and steel suppliers are anxious to win a customer’s business. The competitive conditions in steel can be tough when the supply is greater than demand and that price competition tends to dominate the competitive environment because of the commodity-like nature of steel products. 2. What driving forces do you see at work in this industry? Are they likely to impact the industry’s competitive structure favorably or unfavorably? Three factors qualify as driving forces here: A. Technological innovation in steel-making via electric arc furnace technology, thin-slab casting, and direct casting of carbon steel that has allowed companies like Nucor to enter product segments formerly dominated by the integrated mills of producers using older, more traditional steel-making technology. This driving force is acting to increase the competitive pressures that mini-mills are putting on the integrated producers. There is an unfavorable result from the standpoint of integrated producers but a  highly favorable result from the standpoint of the producers like Nucor that are leading the charge to use new low-cost steel-making technology. B. Steel-making capacity worldwide exceeds the demand for steel, such that companies anxious to operate their plants at full capacity are seeking to find foreign customers for their output. Thus a number of foreign steel suppliers are shipping some of their output to the U.S. This puts them in a head-to-head competition with domestic steel suppliers. High-cost domestic steel suppliers are the hard hit by imported foreign steel. C. Industry consolidation to a smaller number of larger and more competitively successful steel companies (lead in part by the acquisitions of Mittal Steel and Nucor) is acting to increase competitive pressures. Aggressive companies like Nucor may be able to acquire efficient plants at bargain basement prices and enhance their long-term competitive market position. The industry outlook and competitive structure is much brighter for a low-cost producer like Nucor, which, is in a good financial position. In other words, tough industry conditions do not hit all competitors equally hard. As one of the industry’s low-cost producers, Nucor is in good position to gain sales and market share at the expense of the high-cost producers and those exiting the marketplace. Thus an industry’s market environment may be unattractive to some rivals doesn’t necessarily mean it is unattractive to all rivals because tough conditions for some may mean attractive opportunities for others. 3. How attractive are the prospects for future profitability of U.S. steelmakers? Should Nucor consider expanding in this type of industry environment? Why or why not? All the U.S. steelmakers have different prospects for future profitability. High-cost steelmakers in the U.S. are in a risky position, earning profits because of short supplies and historically high market prices, but facing a weaker future when demand weakens and the market prices for steel products slip. A low-cost producer like Nucor is easy to gain sales and market share at the expense of high-cost producers, although it must certainly fight off low-cost foreign suppliers opting to sell in the U.S. to achieve this result. Hence, we think Nucor should certainly consider expanding its capacity via both additional acquisitions and the construction of new plant capacity. And Nucor should probably be somewhat aggressive in doing so, since it has proven expertise in operating plants efficiently and profitably. However, many domestic steel producers  need to understand expanding in the present environment unless they have the knowledge and ability to do so. There is a tendency for domestic steel producers to acquire and expand existing steel mills rather than to construct new ones. In doing this, they can avoid price-cutting and overcapacity during excess supply of steel products. 4. What type of strategy has Nucor followed? Which of the five generic strategies discussed in Chapter 5 is Nucor employing? Is there any reason to believe that Nucor has achieved a sustainable competitive advantage over many of its steel industry rivals? If so, what type of competitive advantage does Nucor enjoy? Low cost provider: continued plant upgrades, cost reduction, and greater control over raw material costs. Very clearly, Nucor is pursuing a low-cost leadership strategy. Such a competitive approach often is the best strategy in a commodity product industry. Nucor has been successful in achieving relatively low production costs. Nucor builds plants inexpensively and operates them efficiently. Nucor’s record of profitability during hard times in the domestic steel industry is clear evidence that it is a low cost provider as compared to other domestic steel producers in the U.S. Nucor has to go far away from domestic competitors. No domestic competitors appear to have costs as low as Nucor. Nucor has a sustainable low-cost advantage over domestic steel producers and that it seems able to hold its own in competing against low-cost foreign steelmakers. 5. What are the specific policies and operating practices that Nucor has employed to implement and execute its chosen strategy? Some of the specific policies and operating practices that Nucor has employed to implement and execute its chosen strategy (in pursuit of low-cost leadership status) include: ï‚  The aggressive implementation of cost-saving technological improvements Nucor’s incentive compensation system for both plant employees and senior managers Nucor’s HR practices and policies such as its no-layoff policy and its empowerment of plant employees The company’s low-cost culture and operating practices. The company’s pursuit of innovative technologies to inter into new market segments ï‚  The emphasis on decentralized decision-making and a very lean corporate staff. ï‚  Employees were kept informed about company and division performance. Most all employees were quite aware of the level of profits in their plant or division. Nucor plants were linked electronically to each  other’s production schedules, and each plant strived to operate in a just-in-time inventory mode. 6. What specific factors account for why Nucor has been so successful over the past several decades? Do these factors have more to do with great strategy, great strategy execution, or great leadership? There are several factors that account for Nucor’s spectacular success over the years: 1. Nucor’s a low-cost leadership strategy. Nucor is an excellent example of a company with a winning strategy (a clear reason for the company’s success). 2. All of its operating practices, policies, and procedures are great competing strategies for Nucor, but it has also implanted and executed those strategies effectively and efficiently. 3. Nucor has had great strategic leadership, especially, in the case of Ken Iverson, Dan DiMicco, and senior executive team is a big reason for the company’s success over the long-term. Therefore, Nucor is a standout company in an industry that is highly competitive and profitable. Nucor can be an example of â€Å"great strategy + great strategy execution = great management â€Å" 7. What is your assessment of Nucor’s financial performance the past several years? How strong is the company’s financial condition? Financial Analysis Assessment of Nucor’s financial performance in the past several years and the company’s financial strength can be analyzed mainly using Nucor’s case Exhibits 1, 2, and 3. Based on the data on Exhibit 1, the following Compound Annual Growth Rates (CAGR) of Tons Sold for Outside Customers, Total Net Sales, Total Earnings Before Tax, and Total Net Earnings are analyzed: Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) = [(Ending Value / Beginning Value)^(1/n)] – 1 The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of total tons of steel sold to outside customers from 1970-2006 and 2007-2011 is 13.86% and 13.99% respectively. These figures show that there is an increasing trend in the total amount of steel sold to the outside customers. CAGR in net sales from 1970-2006 is 17.06% and the net sales from 2007-2011 is 18.06% CAGR in earnings before taxes from 1970-2006 is 21.84% and that of from 2007-2011 is 19.05% CAGR in net earnings from 1970-2006 is 22.74% and that of from 2007-2011 is about 20% The calculated result clearly indicate that Nucor has been able to grow its business very consistently over the past several years from 1970 to 2011 even though there were fluctuations in the total tons of  steel sold after 2008 as indicated in Exhibit 1 on page C-215. The data in Case Exhibit 2 indicates that Nucor is in good financial shape and that its financial performance has been particularly strong from 2002-2008. Using the financial ratio information provided along with calculations of CAGRs, we can determine the following: Nucor’s net sales grew from $4.8 billion in 2002 to $23.7 billion in 2008, a very healthy CAGR of 25.62%. The strong increase is due both to rising unit sales volume and rising selling prices per ton (we can see in columns 2 and 3 of Exhibit 1 on page C-215 and also the data in case Exhibit 3 on page C-221). Nucor’s net earnings grew from $162.1 million in 2002 to $1.83 billion in 2008; and CAGR of 41.4%. However, the big gains primarily came from 2004-2008 period. Financial Ratios Based on the above table the cost of goods sold as a percentage of net sales in 2007, 2008, and 2009 is 81.14%, 82.90%, and 98.62% respectively. The rise in percentage of Nucor’s cost of goods sold during 2007-2009 is more a reflection of a depressed sales price for steel products than of costs running out of control. This implies that the rate at which the sales decreased is greater than the rate at which the cost of good sold decreased  because in Exhibit 2 both the net sales and cost of goods sold shows a decreasing trend. However, the net sales decreased by more than 50%, whereas the cost of goods sold decreased by a little less than 50%. Generally, there is from 2007 to 2011, we can conclude that there is a fluctuating trend in the cost of products sold as a percentage of net sales. Likewise, the marketing, administrative, and other expenses as a percentage of net sales has a fluctuating trend due to a fluctuating trend in both net sales and marketing, administrative, and other expenses. Generally, all things considered, Nucor is in very good financial shape. If we look at the balance sheet statement from 2000 to 2006 as a representative of the whole data, Nucor’s working capital has increased from $821.5 million in 2000 to $3.23 billion in 2006, giving it substantially more fund to conduct business operations and more financial flexibility. The company’s current ratio has climbed steadily during the 2000-2006 period as well. When we look at the cash flow statement, Nucor’s cash flows from operating activities climbed from $820.8 million in 2000 to $2.25 billion in 2006. This implies that Nucor’s cash flows have been sufficient to cover its annual capital expenditure. As far as Nucor’s long-term debt is concerned, even though Nucor’s long-term debt climbed from $460.5 million in 2000 to $922.3 million in 2006, Nucor’s long-term debt as a percentage of stockholders’ equity dropped from 21.6% to 19.1%; the company clearly has the ability to handle the higher level of debt due to acquisition. 8. What issues does Nucor management need to address? To be more financially and competitively successful in the years ahead, Nucor has to address the following issues: In Nucor’s case, we see the following issues: International expansion should be strengthened. For example, Work more on  value added products Expansion into developing countries Developing strategic aliens with other steel producing companies (Caterpillars) to better strength themselves. Union formation is a key to employee rights Recommendations Continue to pursue a low-cost leadership strategy Continue to seek out profitable opportunities to expand the company’s production capacity. Expanding into the markets of foreign countries needs to be pursued very carefully and cautiously because of its exclusive access to lower- cost steel-making technologies

Free Essays on A Story Beneath A Story

, and yet her name was like a summons to all my foolish blood†(61, Araby). The character was so shy that he could not even talk to the girl. This shyness shapes him into a person that is even shyer and who wants a companion even more than before. His adoration is also expressed through his detail while explaining his experiences of going to the market with his aunt. With all of the things going on around him such as drunken men and bargaining women, curses of laborers, and street singers who sang about troubles of their native land, her name still lay in his thoughts. This explanation provides much more unapparent information of his adoration for his mate. The things he points out is important to pay ... Free Essays on A Story Beneath A Story Free Essays on A Story Beneath A Story A Story Beneath a Story The setting in Joyce’s Araby is saturated with descriptive detail providing a unique insight into the character’s personality and his opinions on love, life, and religion. The way his environment has been described, sheds light on some emotions the character is experiencing. The setting as mold shapes the character’s views on love and life while the setting as mirror creates a mood that the character is in which can be explained through his isolation from others. Setting occurs as mirror and mold during a journey of a young man in Araby on his quest to find some form of comfort in his isolated world. The setting in Araby as mold can be seen clearly throughout the character’s word choice of explaining his environment around him because it actually shapes him into the person he is with a personality that is clearly evident to be shy and isolated. Certain words that the character uses describe mass amounts of information pertaining to the character’s life. The description he gives of his friend’s sister whom he longs for to end his seemingly long history of loneliness is filled with descriptive observations that give us a sense of adoration. â€Å"I had never spoken to her, except for a few casual words, and yet her name was like a summons to all my foolish blood†(61, Araby). The character was so shy that he could not even talk to the girl. This shyness shapes him into a person that is even shyer and who wants a companion even more than before. His adoration is also expressed through his detail while explaining his experiences of going to the market with his aunt. With all of the things going on around him such as drunken men and bargaining women, curses of laborers, and street singers who sang about troubles of their native land, her name still lay in his thoughts. This explanation provides much more unapparent information of his adoration for his mate. The things he points out is important to pay ...

Iron Curtain Speech by Winston Churchill

Iron Curtain Speech by Winston Churchill Nine months after Sir Winston Churchill failed to be reelected as Britains Prime Minister, Churchill traveled by train with President Harry Truman to make a speech. On March 5, 1946, at the request of Westminster College in the small Missouri town of Fulton (population of 7,000), Churchill gave his now famous Iron Curtain speech to a crowd of 40,000. In addition to accepting an honorary degree from the college, Churchill made one of his most famous post-war speeches. In this speech, Churchill gave the very descriptive phrase that surprised the United States and Britain, From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Before this speech, the U.S. and Britain had been concerned with their own post-war economies and had remained extremely grateful for the Soviet Unions proactive role in ending World War II. It was Churchills speech, which he titled The Sinews of Peace, that changed the way the democratic West viewed the Communist East. Though many people believe that Churchill coined the phrase the iron curtain during this speech, the term had actually been used for decades (including in several earlier letters from Churchill to Truman). Churchills use of the phrase gave it wider circulation and made the phrase popularly recognized as the division of Europe into East and West. Many people consider Churchills iron curtain speech the beginning of the Cold War. Below is Churchills The Sinews of Peace speech, also commonly referred to as the Iron Curtain speech, in its entirety. The Sinews of Peace by Winston Churchill I am glad to come to Westminster College this afternoon, and am complimented that you should give me a degree. The name Westminster is somehow familiar to me. I seem to have heard of it before. Indeed, it was at Westminster that I received a very large part of my education in politics, dialectic, rhetoric, and one or two other things. In fact we have both been educated at the same, or similar, or, at any rate, kindred establishments. It is also an honour, perhaps almost unique, for a private visitor to be introduced to an academic audience by the President of the United States. Amid his heavy burdens, duties, and responsibilities- unsought but not recoiled from- the President has travelled a thousand miles to dignify and magnify our meeting here to-day and to give me an opportunity of addressing this kindred nation, as well as my own countrymen across the ocean, and perhaps some other countries too. The President has told you that it is his wish, as I am sure it is yours, that I should have full liberty to give my true and faithful counsel in these anxious and baffling times. I shall certainly avail myself of this freedom, and feel the more right to do so because any private ambitions I may have cherished in my younger days have been satisfied beyond my wildest dreams. Let me, however, make it clear that I have no official mission or status of any kind, and that I speak only for myself. There is nothing here but what you see. I can therefore allow my mind, with the experience of a lifetime, to play over the problems which beset us on the morrow of our absolute victory in arms, and to try to make sure with what strength I have that what has been gained with so much sacrifice and suffering shall be preserved for the future glory and safety of mankind. The United States stands at this time at the pinnacle of world power. It is a solemn moment for the American Democracy. For with primacy in power is also joined an awe-inspiring accountability to the future. If you look around you, you must feel not only the sense of duty done but also you must feel anxiety lest you fall below the level of achievement. Opportunity is here now, clear and shining for both our countries. To reject it or ignore it or fritter it away will bring upon us all the long reproaches of the after-time. It is necessary that constancy of mind, persistency of purpose, and the grand simplicity of decision shall guide and rule the conduct of the English-speaking peoples in peace as they did in war. We must, and I believe we shall, prove ourselves equal to this severe requirement. When American military men approach some serious situation they are wont to write at the head of their directive the words over-all strategic concept. There is wisdom in this, as it leads to clarity of thought. What then is the over-all strategic concept which we should inscribe today? It is nothing less than the safety and welfare, the freedom and progress, of all the homes and families of all the men and women in all the lands. And here I speak particularly of the myriad cottage or apartment homes where the wage-earner strives amid the accidents and difficulties of life to guard his wife and children from privation and bring the family up in the fear of the Lord, or upon ethical conceptions which often play their potent part. To give security to these countless homes, they must be shielded from the two giant marauders, war and tyranny. We all know the frightful disturbances in which the ordinary family is plunged when the curse of war swoops down upon the bread-winner and those for whom he works and contrives. The awful ruin of Europe, with all its vanished glories, and of large parts of Asia glares us in the eyes. When the designs of wicked men or the aggressive urge of mighty States dissolve over large areas the frame of civilised society, humble folk are confronted with difficulties with which they cannot cope. For them all is distorted, all is broken, even ground to pulp. When I stand here this quiet afternoon I shudder to visualise what is actually happening to millions now and what is going to happen in this period when famine stalks the earth. None can compute what has been called the unestimated sum of human pain. Our supreme task and duty is to guard the homes of the common people from the horrors and miseries of another war. We are all agreed on that. Our American military colleagues, after having proclaimed their over-all strategic concept and computed available resources, always proceed to the next step- namely, the method. Here again there is widespread agreement. A world organisation has already been erected for the prime purpose of preventing war, UNO, the successor of the League of Nations, with the decisive addition of the United States and all that that means, is already at work. We must make sure that its work is fruitful, that it is a reality and not a sham, that it is a force for action, and not merely a frothing of words, that it is a true temple of peace in which the shields of many nations can some day be hung up, and not merely a cockpit in a Tower of Babel. Before we cast away the solid assurances of national armaments for self-preservation we must be certain that our temple is built, not upon shifting sands or quagmires, but upon the rock. Anyone can see with his eyes open that our path will be difficult and also long, but if we persevere together as we did in the two world wars- though not, alas, in the interval between them- I cannot doubt that we shall achieve our common purpose in the end. I have, however, a definite and practical proposal to make for action. Courts and magistrates may be set up but they cannot function without sheriffs and constables. The United Nations Organisation must immediately begin to be equipped with an international armed force. In such a matter we can only go step by step, but we must begin now. I propose that each of the Powers and States should be invited to delegate a certain number of air squadrons to the service of the world organisation. These squadrons would be trained and prepared in their own countries, but would move around in rotation from one country to another. They would wear the uniform of their own countries but with different badges. They would not be required to act against their own nation, but in other respects they would be directed by the world organisation. This might be started on a modest scale and would grow as confidence grew. I wished to see this done after the first world war, and I devoutly trust it may be done forthwith. It would nevertheless be wrong and imprudent to entrust the secret knowledge or experience of the atomic bomb, which the United States, Great Britain, and Canada now share, to the world organisation, while it is still in its infancy. It would be criminal madness to cast it adrift in this still agitated and un-united world. No one in any country has slept less well in their beds because this knowledge and the method and the raw materials to apply it, are at present largely retained in American hands. I do not believe we should all have slept so soundly had the positions been reversed and if some Communist or neo-Fascist State monopolised for the time being these dread agencies. The fear of them alone might easily have been used to enforce totalitarian systems upon the free democratic world, with consequences appalling to human imagination. God has willed that this shall not be and we have at least a breathing space to set our house in order before this peril has to be encountered: and even then, if no effort is spared, we should still possess so formidable a superiority as to impose effective deterrents upon its employment, or threat of employment, by others. Ultimately, when the essential brotherhood of man is truly embodied and expressed in a world organisation with all the necessary practical safeguards to make it effective, these powers would naturally be confided to that world organisation. Now I come to the second danger of these two marauders which threatens the cottage, the home, and the ordinary people- namely, tyranny. We cannot be blind to the fact that the liberties enjoyed by individual citizens throughout the British Empire are not valid in a considerable number of countries, some of which are very powerful. In these States control is enforced upon the common people by various kinds of all-embracing police governments. The power of the State is exercised without restraint, either by dictators or by compact oligarchies operating through a privileged party and a political police. It is not our duty at this time when difficulties are so numerous to interfere forcibly in the internal affairs of countries which we have not conquered in war. But we must never cease to proclaim in fearless tones the great principles of freedom and the rights of man which are the joint inheritance of the English-speaking world and which through Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights, the Habe as Corpus, trial by jury, and the English common law find their most famous expression in the American Declaration of Independence. All this means that the people of any country have the right, and should have the power by constitutional action, by free unfettered elections, with secret ballot, to choose or change the character or form of government under which they dwell; that freedom of speech and thought should reign; that courts of justice, independent of the executive, unbiased by any party, should administer laws which have received the broad assent of large majorities or are consecrated by time and custom. Here are the title deeds of freedom which should lie in every cottage home. Here is the message of the British and American peoples to mankind. Let us preach what we practise- let us practise what we preach. I have now stated the two great dangers which menace the homes of the people: War and Tyranny. I have not yet spoken of poverty and privation which are in many cases the prevailing anxiety. But if the dangers of war and tyranny are removed, there is no doubt that science and co-operation can bring in the next few years to the world, certainly in the next few decades newly taught in the sharpening school of war, an expansion of material well-being beyond anything that has yet occurred in human experience. Now, at this sad and breathless moment, we are plunged in the hunger and distress which are the aftermath of our stupendous struggle; but this will pass and may pass quickly, and there is no reason except human folly of sub-human crime which should deny to all the nations the inauguration and enjoyment of an age of plenty. I have often used words which I learned fifty years ago from a great Irish-American orator, a friend of mine, Mr. Bourke Cockran. There is enough for all. The eart h is a generous mother; she will provide in plentiful abundance food for all her children if they will but cultivate her soil in justice and in peace. So far I feel that we are in full agreement. Now, while still pursuing the method of realising our overall strategic concept, I come to the crux of what I have travelled here to say. Neither the sure prevention of war, nor the continuous rise of world organisation will be gained without what I have called the fraternal association of the English-speaking peoples. This means a special relationship between the British Commonwealth and Empire and the United States. This is no time for generalities, and I will venture to be precise. Fraternal association requires not only the growing friendship and mutual understanding between our two vast but kindred systems of society, but the continuance of the intimate relationship between our military advisers, leading to common study of potential dangers, the similarity of weapons and manuals of instructions, and to the interchange of officers and cadets at technical colleges. It should carry with it the continuance of the present facilities for mutual security by the joint use of all Naval a nd Air Force bases in the possession of either country all over the world. This would perhaps double the mobility of the American Navy and Air Force. It would greatly expand that of the British Empire Forces and it might well lead, if and as the world calms down, to important financial savings. Already we use together a large number of islands; more may well be entrusted to our joint care in the near future. The United States has already a Permanent Defence Agreement with the Dominion of Canada, which is so devotedly attached to the British Commonwealth and Empire. This Agreement is more effective than many of those which have often been made under formal alliances. This principle should be extended to all British Commonwealths with full reciprocity. Thus, whatever happens, and thus only, shall we be secure ourselves and able to work together for the high and simple causes that are dear to us and bode no ill to any. Eventually there may come- I feel eventually there will come- the principle of common citizenship, but that we may be content to leave to destiny, whose outstretched arm many of us can already clearly see. There is however an important question we must ask ourselves. Would a special relationship between the United States and the British Commonwealth be inconsistent with our over-riding loyalties to the World Organisation? I reply that, on the contrary, it is probably the only means by which that organisation will achieve its full stature and strength. There are already the special United States relations with Canada which I have just mentioned, and there are the special relations between the United States and the South American Republics. We British have our twenty years Treaty of Collaboration and Mutual Assistance with Soviet Russia. I agree with Mr. Bevin, the Foreign Secretary of Great Britain, that it might well be a fifty years Treaty so far as we are concerned. We aim at nothing but mutual assistance and collaboration. The British have an alliance with Portugal unbroken since 1384, and which produced fruitful results at critical moments in the late war. None of these clash with the general interest of a world agreement, or a world organisation; on the contrary they help it. In my fathers house are many mansions. Special associations between members of the United Nations which have no aggressive point against any other country, which harbour no design incompatible with the Charter of the United Nations, far from being harmful, are beneficial and, as I believe, indispensable. I spoke earlier of the Temple of Peace. Workmen from all countries must build that temple. If two of the workmen know each other particularly well and are old friends, if their families are inter-mingled, and if they have faith in each others purpose, hope in each others future and charity towards each others shortcomings- to quote some good words I read here the other day- why cannot they work together at the common task as friends and partners? Why cannot they share their tools and thus increase each others working powers? Indeed they must do so or else the temple may not be built, or, being built, it may collapse, and we shall all be proved again unteachable and have to go and try to learn again for a third time in a school of war, incomparably more rigorous than that from which we have just been released. The dark ages may return, the Stone Age may return on the gleaming wings of science, and what might now shower immeasurable material blessings upon mankind, may even bring about its total destruction. Beware, I say; time may be short. Do not let us take the course of allowing events to drift along until it is too late. If there is to be a fraternal association of the kind I have described, with all the extra strength and security which both our countries can derive from it, let us make sure that that great fact is known to the world, and that it plays its part in steadying and stabilising the foundations of peace. There is the path of wisdom. Prevention is better than cure. A shadow has fallen upon the scenes so lately lighted by the Allied victory. Nobody knows what Soviet Russia and its Communist international organisation intends to do in the immediate future, or what are the limits, if any, to their expansive and proselytising tendencies. I have a strong admiration and regard for the valiant Russian people and for my wartime comrade, Marshal Stalin. There is deep sympathy and goodwill in Britain- and I doubt not here also- towards the peoples of all the Russias and a resolve to persevere through many differences and rebuffs in establishing lasting friendships. We understand the Russian need to be secure on her western frontiers by the removal of all possibility of German aggression. We welcome Russia to her rightful place among the leading nations of the world. We welcome her flag upon the seas. Above all, we welcome constant, frequent and growing contacts between the Russian people and our own people on both sides of the Atlantic. It is my duty how ever, for I am sure you would wish me to state the facts as I see them to you, to place before you certain facts about the present position in Europe. From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest and Sofia, all these famous cities and the populations around them lie in what I must call the Soviet sphere, and all are subject in one form or another, not only to Soviet influence but to a very high and, in many cases, increasing measure of control from Moscow. Athens alone- Greece with its immortal glories- is free to decide its future at an election under British, American and French observation. The Russian-dominated Polish Government has been encouraged to make enormous and wrongful inroads upon Germany, and mass expulsions of millions of Germans on a scale grievous and undreamed-of are now taking place. The Communist parties, which were very small in all these Eastern States of Europe, have been raised to pre-eminence an d power far beyond their numbers and are seeking everywhere to obtain totalitarian control. Police governments are prevailing in nearly every case, and so far, except in Czechoslovakia, there is no true democracy. Turkey and Persia are both profoundly alarmed and disturbed at the claims which are being made upon them and at the pressure being exerted by the Moscow Government. An attempt is being made by the Russians in Berlin to build up a quasi-Communist party in their zone of Occupied Germany by showing special favours to groups of left-wing German leaders. At the end of the fighting last June, the American and British Armies withdrew westwards, in accordance with an earlier agreement, to a depth at some points of 150 miles upon a front of nearly four hundred miles, in order to allow our Russian allies to occupy this vast expanse of territory which the Western Democracies had conquered. If now the Soviet Government tries, by separate action, to build up a pro-Communist Germany in their areas, this will cause new serious difficulties in the British and American zones, and will give the defeated Germans the power of putting themselves up to auction between the Soviets and the Western Democracies. Whatever conclusions may be drawn from these facts- and facts they are- this is certainly not the Liberated Europe we fought to build up. Nor is it one which contains the essentials of permanent peace. The safety of the world requires a new unity in Europe, from which no nation should be permanently outcast. It is from the quarrels of the strong parent races in Europe that the world wars we have witnessed, or which occurred in former times, have sprung. Twice in our own lifetime we have seen the United States, against their wishes and their traditions, against arguments, the force of which it is impossible not to comprehend, drawn by irresistible forces, into these wars in time to secure the victory of the good cause, but only after frightful slaughter and devastation had occurred. Twice the United States has had to send several millions of its young men across the Atlantic to find the war; but now war can find any nation, wherever it may dwell between dusk and dawn. Surely we should work with conscious purpose for a grand pacification of Europe, within the structure of the United Nations and in accordance with its Charter. That I feel is an open cause of policy of very great impor tance. In front of the iron curtain which lies across Europe are other causes for anxiety. In Italy the Communist Party is seriously hampered by having to support the Communist-trained Marshal Titos claims to former Italian territory at the head of the Adriatic. Nevertheless the future of Italy hangs in the balance. Again one cannot imagine a regenerated Europe without a strong France. All my public life I have worked for a strong France and I never lost faith in her destiny, even in the darkest hours. I will not lose faith now. However, in a great number of countries, far from the Russian frontiers and throughout the world, Communist fifth columns are established and work in complete unity and absolute obedience to the directions they receive from the Communist centre. Except in the British Commonwealth and in the United States where Communism is in its infancy, the Communist parties or fifth columns constitute a growing challenge and peril to Christian civilisation. These are sombre facts for anyone to have to recite on the morrow of a victory gained by so much splendid comradeship in arms and in the cause of freedom and democracy; but we should be most unwise not to face them squarely while time remains. The outlook is also anxious in the Far East and especially in Manchuria. The Agreement which was made at Yalta, to which I was a party, was extremely favourable to Soviet Russia, but it was made at a time when no one could say that the German war might not extend all through the summer and autumn of 1945 and when the Japanese war was expected to last for a further 18 months from the end of the German war. In this country you are all so well-informed about the Far East, and such devoted friends of China, that I do not need to expatiate on the situation there. I have felt bound to portray the shadow which, alike in the west and in the east, falls upon the world. I was a high minister at the time of the Versailles Treaty and a close friend of Mr. Lloyd-George, who was the head of the British delegation at Versailles. I did not myself agree with many things that were done, but I have a very strong impression in my mind of that situation, and I find it painful to contrast it with that which prevails now. In those days there were high hopes and unbounded confidence that the wars were over, and that the League of Nations would become all-powerful. I do not see or feel that same confidence or even the same hopes in the haggard world at the present time. On the other hand I repulse the idea that a new war is inevitable; still more that it is imminent. It is because I am sure that our fortunes are still in our own hands and that we hold the power to save the future, that I feel the duty to speak out now that I have the occasion and the opportunity to do so. I do not believe that Soviet Russia desires war. What they desire is the fruits of war and the indefinite expansion of their power and doctrines. But what we have to consider here to-day while time remains, is the permanent prevention of war and the establishment of conditions of freedom and democracy as rapidly as possible in all countries. Our difficulties and dangers will not be removed by closing our eyes to them. They will not be removed by mere waiting to see what happens; nor will they be removed by a policy of appeasement. What is needed is a settlement, and the longer this is delayed, the more difficult it will be and the greater our dangers will become. From what I have seen of our Russian friends and Allies during the war, I am convinced that there is nothing they admire so much as strength, and there is nothing for which they have less respect than for weakness, especially military weakness. For that reason the old doctrine of a balance of power is unsound. We cannot afford, if we can help it, to work on narrow margins, offering temptations to a trial of strength. If the Western Democracies stand together in strict adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter, their influence for furthering those principles will be immense and no one is likely to molest them. If however they become divided or falter in their duty and if these all-important years are allowed to slip away then indeed catastrophe may overwhelm us all. Last time I saw it all coming and cried aloud to my own fellow-countrymen and to the world, but no one paid any attention. Up till the year 1933 or even 1935, Germany might have been saved from the awful fate which has overtaken her and we might all have been spared the miseries Hitler let loose upon mankind. There never was a war in all history easier to prevent by timely action than the one which has just desolated such great areas of the globe. It could have been prevented in my belief without the firing of a single shot, and Germany might be powerful, prosperous and honoured to-day; but no one would listen and one by one we were all sucked into the awful whirlpool. We surely must not let that happen again. This can only be achieved by reaching now, in 1946, a good understanding on all points with Russia under the general authority of the United Nations Organisation and by the maintenance of that good understanding through many peaceful years, by the world instrument, supported by the whole strength of the English-speaking world and all its connections. There is the solution which I respectfully offer to you in this Address to which I have given the title The Sinews of Peace. Let no man underrate the abiding power of the British Empire and Commonwealth. Because you see the 46 millions in our island harassed about their food supply, of which they only grow one half, even in war-time, or because we have difficulty in restarting our industries and export trade after six years of passionate war effort, do not suppose that we shall not come through these dark years of privation as we have come through the glorious years of agony, or that half a century from now, you will not see 70 or 80 millions of Britons spread about the world and united in defence of our traditions, our way of life, and of the world causes which you and we espouse. If the population of the English-speaking Commonwealths be added to that of the United States with all that such co-operation implies in the air, on the sea, all over the globe and in science and in industry, and in moral force, there will be no quivering, precarious balance of power to offer its temptation to ambition or advent ure. On the contrary, there will be an overwhelming assurance of security. If we adhere faithfully to the Charter of the United Nations and walk forward in sedate and sober strength seeking no ones land or treasure, seeking to lay no arbitrary control upon the thoughts of men; if all British moral and material forces and convictions are joined with your own in fraternal association, the high-roads of the future will be clear, not only for us but for all, not only for our time, but for a century to come. * The text of Sir Winston Churchills The Sinews of Peace speech is quoted in its entirety from Robert Rhodes James (ed.), Winston S. Churchill: His Complete Speeches 1897-1963 Volume VII: 1943-1949 (New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1974) 7285-7293.

German Numbers and Counting From 0 to 20

German Numbers and Counting From 0 to 20 Learning numbers or counting in German  is not difficult, but true mastery of numbers, in any language, takes time. It is fairly easy to learn to rattle off the numbers - eins, zwei, drei... and so forth. However, most of the time numbers are used in more practical ways: in telephone numbers, in math problems, in prices, for addresses, etc. Also, because you have already internalized the numbers in English or another first language, there can be the same kind of interference that happens with other vocabulary. So, do learn to say the numbers, but also try these exercises to see if you really know how to deal with them. If someone tells you a phone number in German, can you write it down? Can you do simple addition or subtraction in German?   Die Zahlen 0 to 10 0 null 6 sechs 1 eins 7 sieben 2 zwei * 8 acht 3 drei 9 neun 4 vier 10 zehn 5 fà ¼nf * Often zwo is used to avoidconfusion with drei Die Zahlen 11 to 20 11 elf 16 sechzehn 12 zwà ¶lf 17 siebzehn 13 dreizehn 18 achtzehn 14 vierzehn 19 neunzehn 15 fà ¼nfzehn 20 zwanzig ÃÅ"bung 7A  (Exercise 7A) Mathe  - Write out the answer to the following math problems in German.Note: in German is plus (PLOOHS); - is minus (MEEN-OOS). 1.  zwei fà ¼nf   ________________ 2.  zwà ¶lf - zwei   ________________ 3.  drei neun   _________________ 4.  vier - vier   _________________ 5.  eins sechs   _________________ 6.  dreizehn - zwei   _________________ 7.  sieben elf   _________________ ÃÅ"bung 7B  (Exercise 7B) Diktat  (Dictation) - Write out the following phone numbers as numerals.  Example: null, vier; zwà ¶lf, vierzehn, zwanzig 04 12 14 20 (German phone numbers are often printed/written in groups of two-number pairs.) 1.  null, zwo; zwà ¶lf, elf, zwanzig   ______________ 2.  neunzehn; null, fà ¼nf; sechzehn,   ______________ 3.  null, acht; zwà ¶lf, elf, zwanzig   ______________ 4.  null, drei; vier, sieben; achtzehn, zwanzig   ______________ 5.  dreizehn, zwà ¶lf, zehn, vierzehn   ______________

The Fashion Industry and the New Consumer Essay

The Fashion Industry and the New Consumer - Essay Example The paper "The Fashion Industry and the New Consumer" examines marketing concepts for the one of the United Kingdom top fashion brands Marks and Spencer. When we discuss marketing oriented organisations, it is agreeable that Marks and Spencer is one of the organisations in the United Kingdom that practices it. As a matter of fact, the fashion retailer can be described with five major characteristics of marketing oriented organisations; First of all it focuses on extensive and wide spread use of marketing research. ,T the organisation also emphasizes on the benefits of buying their products, that which are based on the attributes of the same product, it keeps on expanding its product lines in all categories and geographical regions. Tthe company makes use of various innovation schemes in order to enhance the value of the product to its target customers and lastly., Tthe company focuses its business inon adding value to customers like free delivery, warranty and credit availability. Ac cording to Armstrong, marketing and selling concepts usually focus on the selling of the products and moving out of firm’s products. This is usually looked at in a bigger perspective. Marketing concepts are meant to make a retailer product, meet the needs of its customers and also be able to make profits for the organisation. ThisIt means that a retailer will put his target on selling his goods and service, however, in order to succeed it is necessary to persuade its customers to embrace the products.

Wal-Mart to Spend $50 Billion on Products Made in America Essay

Wal-Mart to Spend $50 Billion on Products Made in America - Essay Example Local manufacturers are one of the groups that stand to benefit from Wal-Mart’s decision to source goods in the United States. 1881 Mills is one such manufacturer that will benefit from the extended contract that it has struck with Wal-Mart. Suppliers dealing in highly-automated production are the other group that will benefit from Wal-Mart’s move. The public stands to benefit from the additional jobs that will be created by these local manufacturers and suppliers in order to meet Wal-Mart’s increased demand. The economy of the United States will benefit from the improved production that this move will bring (ABC News p3). Wal-Mart has an obligation to provide workers in China and other foreign markets who will be displayed by Wal-Mart’s new strategy with time to adjust and find other jobs. Corporate social responsibility would require that as an employer, Wal-Mart should factor in the welfare of the people who will be affected by any of its policy decisions and one such group of people are these workers. Wal-Mart should care not to terminate its foreign sourcing quickly because this would leave many of these foreign workers jobless. This can have devastating effects on the lives of these workers and, by extension, the economies of their countries (ABC News p3). Wal-Mart’s decision to source more goods locally means it might have to charge more for such products and this will have direct impacts on local consumers. This will dig deeper into my consumer surplus and I might have to consider buying certain goods from other stores. I however have an ethical responsibility to buy U.S.-made products even if they cost more because this will contribute to the growth of the economy of my home country. Ethical responsibility requires that as a consumer, I should go beyond caring for my personal financial wellbeing to considering how my buying patterns influences other people

Response to Intervention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Response to Intervention - Essay Example The Response to Intervention is aimed at changing the ways in which traditional educational institutions support the student groups with learning, cognitive and behavioral issues that they face in their learning process (Stewart, Martella, Nancy, Marchand and Benner, 2005). This method works by systematically providing or delivering new steps of interventions and instructions from the entities that provide education tot the students on the basis of the demonstrated or displayed levels of needs and requirements of the student and learner groups. Response to Intervention can thus, be defined as an educational and instructional practice which is aimed at providing consistent, high quality and easily assimilative interventions that would help the educational provisions to match the needs of the students while at the same time ensuring the frequent monitoring of the educational and interventional practices to ensure that proper decisions are taken regarding the modifications that are to b e made to the existing education and intervention systems and instructions given to the specific student groups (Fuchs, Compton, Fuchs, Bryant and Davis, 2008). The Response to Intervention is built on the basis of a problem solving model, in which both the internal factors applicable to a student and the external factors that may affect the level of assimilation and understanding of the student are considered with the aim of solving common academic problems. The Response to Intervention has emerged as an innovative way of thinking about the intervention assistance and disability identification for the vulnerable, academically weak and unresponsive learner groups. This method of educational intervention is especially applicable to the children in primary and post primary school levels. The Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS) is an extended version of the Response to Intervention which is aimed at

The War of 1812 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The War of 1812 - Essay Example A lot of incidents related to the war also happened in the sea. Background Events Leading to the War: The war was instigated in 1783 after the termination of American Revolution. That was a time when US was irritated with Britain’s lack of consent to ratify commercial agreements in favor of America and Britain’s failure to retreat from the territory of America alongside the Great Lakes. The French Revolutionary Wars that happened between 1792 and 1802 and the Napoleonic Wars that started after that and continued till 1815 flared up American resentment. France and Britain were the primary contestants in these wars. With the passage of time, France dominated most of Europe. On the other hand, Britain ruled over the seas. France and Britain had commercial fights with each other in which Britain tried to blockade Europe while France did all to make sure that British goods were not sold in the French possessions. The maritime policies of Britain and France indulged into seve ral conflicts with the US in the 1790s. The difficulties became intense and grew manifolds after 1803. The British Orders in Council of 1807 tried to channel all neutral trade to continental Europe through Great Britain, and France's Berlin and Milan decrees of 1806 and 1807 declared Britain in a state of blockade and condemned neutral shipping that obeyed British regulations. (gatewayno.com, n.d.). Causes of the War: US felt that her rights upon seas were being subdued by France and Britain. Because of British dominance upon the seas, the British maritime policies were more disliked. British felt that it was their right to the British sailors with them from the merchant ships of America. In their haste, they took many Americans with them as well. This was the fundamental cause of tension between the two countries. There were numerous causes of the war. There was war going on between Great Britain and France in the early 1800s. In that war, England fell short of skilled sailors. In order to make up for the deficiency of sailors, Great Britain started stopping American ships and forcefully took sailors from them. In addition to that, Great Britain forbade US from entering into any trade with France. According to the Treaty of Paris (1783), Great Britain was supposed to remove her soldiers from the American territory, though she continued occupying US territory. A vast majority of the British soldiers remained along the Great Lakes and offered full support to Indians like Tecumseh, the Shawnee leader so that they may fully revolt against the American settlers. Proceedings of the War: US first tried to alter the European powers’ policies economically. The British ship Leopard attacked Chesapeake, which was an American frigate in 1807. At that time, Congress placed a ban upon American ships from trade by passing the Embargo Act. As a result of that, New England shipping was devastated but the French and British policies were left unaltered. Americans were i n the economic depression and were distressed. They resolved to commence the war in order to restore national honor. In 1810, the Congress was elected. In November, 1811, the War Hawks joined the Congress and asked to commence war against Great Britain. As a result of the aforementioned attempts by Great Britain all of which went against the interests of US, President James Madison convinced the Congress to declare war upon Great Britain in 1812. Battles of the War: In 1812,

Compare and Contrast Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Compare and Contrast - Research Paper Example The Greek ideal was defined by the term â€Å"kalokagathia†. Since kalokagathia included the perfection of the body and physical constitution as well as moral and spiritual perfection, along with the beauty and power of the ideal, there was brought justice, purity, courage, and intelligence (Dombrowski 8). That is what made the sculptures of Greek gods carved by ancient sculptors of the unique beauty. Sculptures of all periods of Greek art were notable for its special beauty and the masterly performance. Passing to the specific examples, the current paper will compare and contrast two Greek sculptures of different periods: Peplos Kore and Aphrodite from Melos. The Archaic period in the history of Ancient Greece lasted from 8th to 6th centuries BCE. During this period, there was a rapid development of the material culture, handicraft centers, agriculture, and trade. There also occurred an intensification of city growth. This was the right moment for further development of art t hat, afterwards, glorified Ancient Greece: vase painting; monumental architecture, lyric poetry, and marble sculpture. The first sculptures in Greece began to emerge in the 7th century BCE. The island of Crete was a motherland for monumental sculpture. There were found stone sculptures of young male athletes and warriors that are dated back to the early 7th century BCE. Cretan school of sculpture created its important standards of simple and clear outline of the sculpture, generalized form, strict balance of all parts of sculpture, and frontal composition of the construction. Crete laid the basis for an ideal type of female and male statues, kore and kouros. Peplos Kore (ca.530 BCE.) was a statue of a young woman (maiden) standing in the constrained position. The statue of a girl was made a life-size or slightly smaller. On the tranquil and serene face of the statue the sculptor portrayed the so-called â€Å"archaic smile† to show that the sculpture is alive. Kores were dress ed in peplos, the draped tunic that hides the asymmetry of the figure (in the Attic school of sculpture most statues were dressed in peplos). Thus, the whole outfit gave the sense of girl purity and innocence. It should be noted that kores, the statue of the maidens, were never sculpted naked, in contrast to the male sculptures of the same period. Kores were designed with two purposes. Firstly, kores were dedicated to Greek gods. In this case, the kore was holding an object that was associated with the â€Å"occupation† of the god she was devoted to. On the footing of the statue, there was cut the text of dedication, the name of the sculptor, and the name of the person that paid for the making of the statue (patron). Secondly, kores were made to set at the cemetery on the graves of the distinguished citizens. In this case, the kore was made of resemblance with the deceased. Kores were the leading element in the Greek sculpture of the Archaic period (Stansbury-O’Donnell 138). The emotional clarity of this captivating image was once strengthened with bright coloring of the sculpture. In accordance with the Archaic standard, the eyebrows and eyelashes were blue, eyes and lips were brown, hair, flowing over the shoulders, was pinkish red, and the edge of the linen chiton and cape were painted green. The initial colors that were used for sculpture were restored from the small pieces of paint that were preserved on the kores. All kores that reached our days were very much alike. It was

No topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 11

No topic - Essay Example God is viewed holy and perfect and as a person who has established high standards for perfection for humanity. The reformers saw it insufficient due to the fact that it was referenced to God’s honor as opposed to his holiness and justice. The medieval notion was that punishment of sin had to involve bloodshed. The reformers believed that Christ died for man as he took his sins and bore them for him. Through bearing of man’s sins, Christ is believed to take the punishment from them and deliver the believers free from the demands of the law. This is a clear indication that the holiness of God and the righteousness of the law are satisfied by his substation. There are relevant scriptures including Isaiah 53: 12 â€Å"yet he bore sins of many, and mistakes intercession for the transgressors.† And Isaiah 53: 6 â€Å"the lord has laid equality of us all.† The Penal substitution theory assumes that God is infinite, minor human sins are an infinite debt to him. This can only be cancelled through infinite satisfaction through the death of Jesus Christ. The belief that God’s need to seek justice is so strong that he would only demand satisfaction through the death of an innocent person is an assumpt ion that modern readers would reject. With reference to John Scott’s classic work â€Å"The cross of Christ†, he tries to offer a deeper understanding of satisfaction with his fifth chapter â€Å"satisfaction for sin†. He argues that the cross was necessary due to the fact that God had to satisfy himself in the way of salvation. Scoot uses this chapter to analyze that the death of Jesus Christ on the cross was necessary for satisfaction. This is a statement that most people affirm to. However, the nature of satisfaction has been a subject of debate throughout the history of the church. He looks at different methods to which the theologians believe as the method God used to forgive the sins of mankind (Stott 120). Other speak of satisfying God’s law,

Compare and Contrast Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Compare and Contrast - Research Paper Example The Greek ideal was defined by the term â€Å"kalokagathia†. Since kalokagathia included the perfection of the body and physical constitution as well as moral and spiritual perfection, along with the beauty and power of the ideal, there was brought justice, purity, courage, and intelligence (Dombrowski 8). That is what made the sculptures of Greek gods carved by ancient sculptors of the unique beauty. Sculptures of all periods of Greek art were notable for its special beauty and the masterly performance. Passing to the specific examples, the current paper will compare and contrast two Greek sculptures of different periods: Peplos Kore and Aphrodite from Melos. The Archaic period in the history of Ancient Greece lasted from 8th to 6th centuries BCE. During this period, there was a rapid development of the material culture, handicraft centers, agriculture, and trade. There also occurred an intensification of city growth. This was the right moment for further development of art t hat, afterwards, glorified Ancient Greece: vase painting; monumental architecture, lyric poetry, and marble sculpture. The first sculptures in Greece began to emerge in the 7th century BCE. The island of Crete was a motherland for monumental sculpture. There were found stone sculptures of young male athletes and warriors that are dated back to the early 7th century BCE. Cretan school of sculpture created its important standards of simple and clear outline of the sculpture, generalized form, strict balance of all parts of sculpture, and frontal composition of the construction. Crete laid the basis for an ideal type of female and male statues, kore and kouros. Peplos Kore (ca.530 BCE.) was a statue of a young woman (maiden) standing in the constrained position. The statue of a girl was made a life-size or slightly smaller. On the tranquil and serene face of the statue the sculptor portrayed the so-called â€Å"archaic smile† to show that the sculpture is alive. Kores were dress ed in peplos, the draped tunic that hides the asymmetry of the figure (in the Attic school of sculpture most statues were dressed in peplos). Thus, the whole outfit gave the sense of girl purity and innocence. It should be noted that kores, the statue of the maidens, were never sculpted naked, in contrast to the male sculptures of the same period. Kores were designed with two purposes. Firstly, kores were dedicated to Greek gods. In this case, the kore was holding an object that was associated with the â€Å"occupation† of the god she was devoted to. On the footing of the statue, there was cut the text of dedication, the name of the sculptor, and the name of the person that paid for the making of the statue (patron). Secondly, kores were made to set at the cemetery on the graves of the distinguished citizens. In this case, the kore was made of resemblance with the deceased. Kores were the leading element in the Greek sculpture of the Archaic period (Stansbury-O’Donnell 138). The emotional clarity of this captivating image was once strengthened with bright coloring of the sculpture. In accordance with the Archaic standard, the eyebrows and eyelashes were blue, eyes and lips were brown, hair, flowing over the shoulders, was pinkish red, and the edge of the linen chiton and cape were painted green. The initial colors that were used for sculpture were restored from the small pieces of paint that were preserved on the kores. All kores that reached our days were very much alike. It was

Advantages of the balance scorecard system Essay Example for Free

Advantages of the balance scorecard system Essay As a non financial measure BSC has significant advantages over the financially focused performance based measurement systems. BSC makes it possible for organizations to develop long term strategies. Because the focus is not only on finances, companies can focus on the business elements the would allow them to create a sustained long term perspective, and therefore assure a longer term financial health. Short term financial yardsticks relies more on accounting, so it runs the risk of neglecting other important areas, such as customer satisfaction. The BSC sees emphasize on better quality and the advantage of  competitive edge provided by its inclusive measurement as equally important, because it is a better forecaster of future financial success. ( Ittner Larcker 2000). Short term forecasting does not consider such elements as new product development non does it encourage innovation. The other advantage is that BSC offers organization the opportunity to announce its objectives and its long term based incentives to the rest of the team. Also it recognizes the importance of intangible assets such human intellects as well as customer loyalty, it recognizes managerial abilities, and the benefits that can accrue  when employees share good relationship with each other. There is no doubt that a lot of organizations are paying attention to their intangible assets. (Ittner larcker 2000). The other important advantage is that it is becoming clearer that BSC could actually be do a better job of forecasting the financial future of an organization. ( Ittner larcker 2000). When companies make investment on customer satisfaction, it has been found to raise financial intake, as well as customer loyalty. This cannot be predicted by a system that focuses only on financial calculations. The BSC helps the organization to bring many corporate programs that are usually disjointed into a single manageable roof. Kaplan and Norton also pointed out that by merely participating in the process of BSC development organizations give themselves an advantage, because they gain a better understanding of the strategy they want to implement. It transforms strategy into performance measures or targets. It helps the company to focus on what it has to do in order to achieve its performance goal. Although the BSC aims to establish a long term strategic process, it is actually brief and  direct to the point because it uses the four perspective to cover essentially all its system. It helps the team to learn because the strategies are regularly discussed. Also BSC is not limited to corporate offices, Kaplan and Norton cited the example of Exxon Mobile, it extended its BSC to all its stations, and they reported significant rise in customer satisfaction. It is important to be able to transfer the strategy to local outlets. And BSC does that. ( Kaplan Norton 2002). As has been discussed on this discourse, there are some disadvantages associated with BSC. For one it is expensive to implement, and it can take a lot of time. Considering the fact that financial measurement only system is measured based on finances only, the BSC does not have a common denominator measurement, and it does not have causal links with the rest of the measuring strategies. The facts are that most companies now report that using financially based measurement system is no longer adequate to formulate their true long term strategy. Emphasis on earnings and accounting returns are no longer persuasive enough in providing the complete picture to organizations. (Ittner Larcker 2000).