Amul Case Study

| Amul-GCMMF | â€Å"The Taste of India† to â€Å"Taste of World† | | Project Case International Business SECTION D – GROUP Ashutosh Singh Khushwaha (GL) | 269 Sachin Maan | 175 Frana James | 219 Paran Gupta| 240 Parth Shah | 249 Pratik Upadhyay| Amul: â€Å"The Taste of India† to â€Å"The Taste of World† With a presence in over 40 countries in 2012, Amul has done more than testing its products in the overseas markets. Since its venture into the International markets in late 80s, it has steadily grown in sales and today it has more than Rs. 00 crores revenues from exports. Though the world dairy product prices are increasing constantly and the Government of India has banned the export of Milk Powder since February 2011, Mr. R. S. Sodhi, the Managing Director of GCMMF expects exports to increase by 20% on the back of surging demand. Mr. Sodhi, along with the top management of the cooperative now faces several questions which will define Amul’ s International strategy for the coming years.With the increasing demand and successful venture in overseas markets, should Amul restrict to export and distribution or partner with/acquire other firms in these countries or should it go further towards becoming a global brand by setting up manufacturing and processing plants across the globe? If so, what products should it manufacture and what should be the degree of localization in order to succeed? Should it stick to dairy products or should it look towards the non-dairy food products as well? How will it source milk and other raw materials in these countries with diverse forms of established dairy networks?These are important decisions that need to be made because they will help Amul realize the goal of becoming world’s leading food brand. Major food brands such as Britannia and Nestle are already eating into Amul’s domestic share. The top management has to decide a strategy that will help Amul compete against world class dairy and food brands in Indian market and in the overseas markets. Profile Amul is the world's 18th largest dairy firm with a 0. 5% share in global milk production, according to the International Farm Comparison Network 2011 list.The brand Amul is managed by Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, GCMMF which has several cooperative dairies operating across the country. During the financial year 2010-11, GCMMF registered a top line growth of 22. 1%, achieving turnover of Rs 9774 crore. Amul is the largest food brand in India and world's largest pouched milk brand with an annual turnover of  US$2. 2  billion  (2010-11). Currently Unions making up GCMMF have 3. 1 million producer members with milk collection average of 9. 10 million liters per day.AMUL is also the largest exporter of dairy products in the country. AMUL is available today in over 40 countries of the world. AMUL is exporting a wide variety of products which include Whole and Skimmed Milk Powder, Cott age Cheese (Paneer), UHT Milk, Clarified Butter (Ghee), Indigenous Sweets, Amul butter, Amul butter milk, Amul pizza cheese, Amul shrikhand, Amulya dairy whitener, Amul fresh cream, Amul fat milk, Amul cheese spread, Sagar Tea and Coffee whitener, Amul ice creams like cassata , cool candy and frostik, Amul milk chocolate and Amul Eclairs.It has also started preparing and selling pizza slices which feature generous portions of Amul cheese. These pizza slices reach the customers through super markets and large departmental stores that have snack counters. It has tied up with Walmart to sell its dairy products, in its shelves, under the brand name of Amul itself. It also has tie-ups with Glaxo, for the production of baby foods. The major overseas markets for Amul are USA, West Indies, and countries in Africa, the Gulf Region, and  SAARC  neighbors, Singapore, Hong Kong, The Philippines, Thailand, Japan and China.Its growth is more than 20% in these markets. Market presence has also gone up by 25 to 30 per cent in some markets such as Singapore, Hong Kong, UAE, the US and Bangladesh. Global Dairy Industry at a Glance: The growth story of the dairy industry in India is centered on the inception of Operation Flood of the 1970s, recognizing the power of cooperative farming giving rise to the GCMMF and the engine behind the whole revolution was the brand Amul (Anand Milk Union Limited). This model helped the dairy farmers to direct their own development by placing control of their resources in their own hands.This cooperative model resulted in making India one of the largest producers of milk and milk products. In terms of the growth of the dairy market projected over the years 2011-2016, India ranks fourth, behind the other BRIC nations, i. e. Brazil, China and Russia. [Exhibit 1] The scenario of the important dairy industries in other countries was not on the similar lines. To think of the expansion plan in terms of geographic location as well as the strategy th at Amul would employ would be dependent on the past and the current nature of the industry in those countries.Dairy Industry in European Union: The European Union, inclusive of 27 countries, is the largest milk producer in the world with Germany and France being the largest within the EU. However, within the EU, dairy production is not uniform due to various government regulations and production quotas in some countries. In Germany, the drinking milk product category is still driven by health and wellness. The drinking milk product category which saw a decline in 2010 by 1% observed a growth in the value sales by the same amount in 2011.In the Eastern European dairy market, Lactalis, becoming the fourth largest player in the region in 2008 with a 3. 3 % value share targeting countries like Croatia, Ukaraine and Czech Republic. Lactalis followed the expansion through acquisition strategy and it is through these intense acquisition activities that Lactalis planned its move into the We stern European countries where it had to make much heavier investments. The Western European dairy market is quite mature as the expected CAGR for these countries is only about 0. % over the span of five years from 2011-16. This market is different from the other markets since they are not driven by milk consumption but the key driving opportunities lie in milk products like cheese, yoghurt and sour milk drinks and thus making these markets more value growth rather than volume growth. Muller Dairy, already competing in the yoghurt and chilled/shelf-stable desserts market in UK is seeking to expand into other fast-growing dairy categories using its existing distribution network and leveraging on the brand amongst the British consumers. Exhibit 2] To gain market share in this mature market, some companies like Kraft Foods used unique marketing strategy of positioning its Philadelphia Cream Cheese both as a spreadable cheese and as a cooking ingredient. This move reignited the growth i n the otherwise mature spreadable processed cheese category. Dairy Industry in Japan: In the year 2004, with 28800 domestic dairy farms, 8. 3 million tons of cow’s milk used to be produced. 60% of this was processed into milk for drinking purposes and the rest was used for consumption as dairy products.The Japanese believed that processing plants must be located close to the source of production since milk, being a perishable good, must be processed and sold when fresh. In 2004, there were 692 processing facilities throughout Japan. Expecting a growth in the consumption of milk products, maintaining a stable supply of safe, fresh milk was viewed as a challenge since it was important to Japanese consumers. To answer this demand for fresher products, a solution was to develop stronger cooperation between dairy producers and processors.However, by 2005, Japan’s aging population had essentially stabilized and the nation was being termed as a â€Å"mature economy†. A s a result of this, the total milk production remained unchanged approximately at 8. 4 million tons. Amul failed to enter the market once in 1994 but succeeded in 2005 when it grabbed a major exports order. GCMMF managing director B M Vyas then said , â€Å"We have had a distributor in Japan since 1994 but no major presence in that country.But a few days ago a delegation from Japan, under the aegis of Agriculture and Livestock Industry Corp (ALIC), visited our facilities at Anand (Gujarat) and were pleasantly surprised with the sheer scale of our dairy operations†. It exports Ghee and Paneer to the country currently with a single major importer. Dairy Industry in Australia: Australia's third largest rural industry is the dairy industry which is also a major regional employer, not only on-farm but also through processing, manufacturing and distribution of a range of high quality products.With about 7950 dairy farms located across Australia, the industry produced 9. 2 billion l iters of milk during 2007-08. The Australian dairy manufacturing sector is  diverse and includes farmer-owned co-operatives, public, private and multinational companies. The Farmer owned co-operatives is no longer the dominant players in the industry as they now account for less than 35% of the entire market share. In 2011, the Australian Dairy market faced another challenge of being considered to be one of the most competitive in terms of retailing the milk products in supermarkets.In January 2011, Coles and Woolworths, two supermarket companies, entered into a price war during which the prices of house brand staples like milk, bread and meat were pushed down. This trend continued for the entire year and as a result the Dairy lobby groups demanded for a mandatory Australian Drinking Milk Code of Conduct to look into such matters. Despite the aggressive marketing efforts, fresh/pasteurized milk registered a growth of only 3%.However, niche products in fresh milk category have eith er retained or have shown significant growth. Around 60% of manufactured milk-products are exported and the remaining 40% is sold on the Australian market. In drinking milk, some 97% is consumed in the domestic market. Cheese products, utilizing around one third of Australia’s milk production in 2010-11, have retained that spot for a few years now. Dairy Industry in Sri Lanka: As a country, Sri Lanka is self-sufficient in terms of all types of animal products except milk products.Their self-sufficiency in dairy products is about 15–20% though that level has been achieved mostly with imported milk powder. Sri Lankan government adopted the open economic policies in the 1970s and since then the consumption of the daily products has increased. Apart from the Northern conflict regions of the country, milk is produced in all the districts. The marketing of milk in Sri Lanka is done through various channels and so becomes very complex. There are individual farmers who sell di rectly to processors, consumers, hotels, cafeterias and canteens * Cooperatives are organized primarily for the purpose of collecting and selling milk to either hotels or processors * The formal, or processed dairy, market consists of small dairy cooperatives, larger local cooperatives, district dairy cooperatives, dairy cooperative unions and networks of collection points and milk chilling centers operated by cooperatives or the main dairy processors Apart from the above mentioned ways, some farmers do not see the need to become members of the farmer societies or cooperatives.There are a few large-scale processors who have organized such farmers to sell their milk directly to them. Amul set up a milk processing plant in Sri Lanka in 2005 producing several products such as sterilized milk, milk powder, yoghurt,etc. It was a 51-49 Joint venture between the GCMMF and the Sri-Lankan government. It handed over the operations completely to the Sri-Lankan government after an year of succe ssful running. Before planning the project, Mr. Verghese Kurien, often called â€Å"the Milkman of India† said, †We are located right in the middle of this milk-deficient region.So, we are planning to take advantage of this. Even China is a potential market in the future†. International Ventures: GCMMF is India's largest exporter of Dairy Products. It has been accorded a â€Å"Trading House† status. GCMMF has received the APEDA Award from Government of India for Excellence in Dairy Product Exports for the last 13 years. The decision of going International: Reasons that lead to the foray of Amul into International Markets * Reduced subsidies on milk products as per WTO guidelines made Indian milk products competitive in international markets.   Significant demand for its products amongst Indian families in foreign markets * Local facility would enable better control over logistics   and cut 45 days of shipping time * Tie up with retail chains like Wal-Ma rt, use established distribution channel * Non-availability of single products like ghee in other markets presented a good opportunity * Long term vision to become a global food brand The problems and issues faced are: * Non-tariff barriers in European countries * Competition with global players Absence of proper distribution channel Export: Main exports products are Amul UHT Milk (Long Life) ,Amul Gold Extra Cream Milk,Amul Taaza Full Cream Milk,Amul Slim and Trim Milk,Amul Pure Ghee,Amul Mithaee Gulabjamun,Nutramul Brown Beverage,Amul Fresh Cream,Amul Kool Beverages,Flavoured Milk,Butter Milk,Lassee,Amulspray,Amul Butter,Amul Shrikhand,Amul Cheese,Amul Malai Paneer,Amul Ice Cream,etc. Despite unfavorable conditions in international dairy market, their export business reached Rs. 133 crores against Rs. 125 crore in 2011.They have further consolidated their growth in consumer products including Paneer, Butter, Cheese, UHT Milk etc. This is extremely encouraging and indicates the hig h trust that the customers place in Amul Brand. They have not been able to export Milk Powder in bulk packing in larger quantity due to fall of world market prices by nearly 50% as compared to previous year. Distribution: Amul’s strategy when it first entered international markets was to use the existing distributors and partner with local companies to market its products.Amul has been in the US since 1998 through Kanan Dairy, which markets Amul processed cheese, pure  ghee, Shrikhand, Nutramul, Amul's  Mithaee Gulab Jamuns  to more than 1,000 ethnic Indian grocery stores in the US through a network of seven distributors. Then Amul identified major supermarket and chain stores as the vehicles overseas to promote Amul dairy products ranging from milk powder, butter, ghee, cheese, butter, ice creams and tinned Indian sweets. As growth through bulk exports was variable, GCMMF opted for sustained growth through retail sales that ensure brand recall and customer loyalty.It s till did not decide on setting up manufacturing and processing plants as it was quiet successful with its marketing and distribution plan for overseas markets. Then Amul identified major supermarket and chain stores as the vehicles overseas to promote Amul Amul sells products through Wal-Mart’s extensive distribution system, having a separate counter for stocking and selling their products. It also has an arrangement with Mustafa supermarket chain in Singapore, Lanka Milk Foods (CWE) Ltd and John Keels chain in Sri Lanka, as also Choithram, Carrefour and Lulu chains in the UAE. Marketing:In India Amul caters to Intelligent marketing. It spends only 1% of Sales turnover on advertising and it is famous to come up with innovative adds. Will it be able to sustain the same strategy in international markets is a very important decision from the marketing point of view for GCMMF. Amul will have to customize its products and look outside the ethnic box to suit the American and other ethnic palates. It simply cannot use its home-ground strategies in the US and expect to make a mark, even if Wal-Mart plans to push the brand only in stores and only in states like New York and New Jersey, where the Indian community is very strong.Competition: While Amul has substantial grip over the Indian market due to its robust supply chain and cooperative business model; the international arena challenges it like never before. In the overseas markets it faces stiffer competition in matching the stringent quality standards of several local and international brands that have well established markets in different countries; in addition to fundamentally understanding these new markets, cultures and their needs. As a brand, Amul faces stiff competition from two major players: Britannia and Nestle.Both these brands have international presence and each seeks to expand its business horizons. Apart from these international brands, it also has to compete with local dairies in different c ountries that sell products at very competitive prices. Nestle: Nestle is  one of the world's leading nutrition, health and wellness company. The  company  was founded in  1866 by Henri Nestle in Vevey, Switzerland, where the headquarters are still located today. It employs around 2,80,000 people and have factories or operations in almost every country in the world. Nestle sales for 2009 were CHF 108 bn.Nestle's relationship with India dates back to 1912, when it began trading as The Nestle Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company (Export) Limited, importing and selling finished products in the Indian market. The Company continuously focuses its efforts to better understand the changing lifestyles of various countries and anticipate consumer needs. The culture of innovation and renovation within the Company and access to the Nestle Group's proprietary technology gives it a distinct advantage in these efforts. It helps the Company to create value that can be sustained over long ter m by offering consumers a wide variety of high quality products.A description of the competitive advantages growth drivers and operational pillars is given in Exhibit 1. Nestle is in a strategic international position because of its presence in many countries and long tradition of innovation. An analysis of sales trading and operating profit by both geography and product line is given in Exhibit 4 and Exhibit 5. Britannia: It is not globally as big as Nestle but it is expanding at a threatening pace and this can be a major concern for Amul. This fact is validated by the following statistics. The company is growing at a steady rate.The company's sales grew at a compound annual rate of 16% against the market, and operating profits reached 18%, between 1998 and 2001. More recently, the company has been growing at 27% a year, compared to the industry's growth rate of 20%. Dairy products contribute close to 10 per cent of Britannia's revenue. Britannia trades and markets dairy products, and its dairy portfolio grew to 47% in 2000-01 and by 30% in 2001-02. Britannia holds an equity stake in  Dynamix Dairy  and outsources the bulk of its dairy products from its associate.On 27 October 2001, Britannia announced a joint venture with  Fonterra Co-operative Group  of New Zealand. It is an integrated dairy company involved in many activities from procurement of milk to making value-added products such as cheese and buttermilk. Britannia planned to source most of the products from New Zealand, which they would market in India. The joint venture also allowed technology transfer to Britannia. In March 2007, Britannia Industries Limited formed a Joint Venture with the Khimji Ramdas Group, one of the largest and the most respected business conglomerates in the Middle East.Britannia and its Associates have acquired a significant stake in Dubai based Strategic Food International Co. LLC and Oman based Al Sallan Food Industries Co SAOG. The two companies are key regional players in the biscuits, wafers and cookies segment in the GCC markets and export their products across the world. Strategic Food International Co. LLC (SFIC) is one of the largest biscuit and wafer manufacturing companies in the Middle East. An ISO and HACCP certified company, SFIC is also a proud winner of the Dubai Quality Appreciation Certificate.It offers a wide spectrum of products under the brand  Nutro, which is a leading biscuit brand in the Middle East. Al Sallan Food Industries Co is one of the foremost companies for the production of cookies, rolls and chocolates. The products are well known under the brand name of  Baker's Pride. Though not directly in the dairy market, Britannia is constantly increasing its presence worldwide. Key statistics about the company performance are given in Exhibit 6. Future Plans: Amul is now all set to consider the decision to setup a manufacturing plant in the United States to specifically cater to the demand for its products in the US and Europe.And then expand to other countries with similar plants so as to decrease its costs. The company intends to start with manufacturing of ghee and paneer and then gradually start manufacturing other products. Amul will have to customize its products and look outside the ethnic box to suit the American and other ethnic palates. It simply cannot use its home-ground strategies in the US and expect to make a mark, even if Wal-Mart plans to push the brand only in stores and only in states like New York and New Jersey, where the Indian community is very strong.Amul has come a long way from 1946 – when it collected only 247 litres of milk a day – to the six million liters of milk per day it now collects from about 10,675 separate village co-operative societies throughout Gujarat. With access to low cost milk, an innovative and  almost ‘just-in-time' supply chain, a ready market among the Indian community and 50 years of understanding milk, Amul can definitely build the ‘taste of India' in the US and other countries. Chairman Mr. PG Bhatol says, â€Å"When we plan to improve productivity as well as production, we also need to keep in mind the markets where such huge quantity of milk will be consumed.We need to explore new opportunities and markets. India has graduated from milk deficit country to largest milk producer in world. However, our exports of milk and milk products still remain insignificant in comparison to the existing players. We have been following the policy of not exporting milk powders to foreign countries so that availability in our country does not get hampered. Opening of export markets would not only serve as outlet for excess of milk produced over the domestic requirements but also will keep the domestic prices stable. We strongly feel that branded milk powders in consumer packs should never be banned.Thus, now when we plan to produce such large quantity of milk, it is imperative to relook at our export polici es. † Amul has come a long way from 1946 – when it collected only 247 litres of milk a day – to the six million liters of milk per day it now collects from about 10,675 separate village co-operative societies throughout Gujarat. With access to low cost milk, an innovative and  almost ‘just-in-time' supply chain, a ready market among the Indian community and 50 years of understanding milk, Amul can definitely build the ‘taste of India' in the US and other countries and then the Taste of the World.Exhibit 1: Top 10 Fastest Growing Dairy Markets 2011-2016 *Passport – Tracking Growth Opportunities In The Global Dairy Market Exhibit 2: Top Five Western European Dairy Market By Absolute Market Value Growth 2011-2016 *Passport – Tracking Growth Opportunities In The Global Dairy Market Table 2: Milk production zones in Sri Lanka Zone features| Dry zone| Coconut triangle| Mid-country| Upcountry & estate| Wet zone & urban|Location  | Dry zone districts in the NC, Northern and Eastern Provinces and parts of Central, Southern and NW Provinces| Intermediate and wet   zone areas of the NW Province, and Gampaha district of the Western Province| Wet   zone areas in the Central Province –Kandy and Matale districts| Nuwaraeliya district in the Central Province and Badulla district in the Uva Province| Districts in the Western,  Ã‚   Southern and Sabaragamuwa Provinces and cities| Animal types| Indigenous cattle, Zebu cattle and crosses, buffalo| Crosses of exotic breeds, Zebu types, crosses of indigenous animals and buffalo| Pure exotic animals and crosses, and Zebu crosses| Pure exotic animals and crosses| Crosses of exotic breeds and Zebu type and indigenous animals and buffalo| Husbandry| Free gazing, or nomadic-type Large herds or sedentary small/medium-sized herds | Medium-sized herds, limited grazing tethered under coconut palms| Small herds, some tethering, stall feeding| Small herds, zero grazing| Limited gr azing, medium-sized herds or small herds, zero grazing| Herd size  | Few: 25 | 5 cows | 2–3 cows| 1–2 cows| 2–3 cows| Average yield| 2. 1 litres/cow/dayTotal 300–400 litres/cow over 180–200-day lactation| 3–4 litres/cow/dayTotal 500–800 litres/cow over 200-day lactation| 2–4 litres/cow/dayTotal 1 300 litre/cow| 6 or more litres/cow/dayTotal 1 700 litres/cow| 3 litres/cow/dayTotal 1 500–1 600 litres/cow| Source: Ranaweera and Attapattu 2006| Exhibit 3 Exhibit 4 Exhibit 5Exhibit 6 Performance of Britannia Exhibit 7 Amul overseas presence References: I. Primary data in the form of Interviews of employees involved with International projects II. Dairy Food Industry Overview in India to 2014-market research report,www. reportlinker. com III. GCMMF Annual Report, Financial Years 2007-2011 IV. Nestle Annual Report,2011 V. http://www. amul. com/m/organisation, 24-Feb-2012 VI. http://articles. timesofindia. indiatimes. com/2011 -03-30/india-business/29361638_1_cheese-amul-britannia-industries VII. Utterly-Butterly amul’s new raod map-CNBC-TV18. html, 26-Feb-2012 VIII. http://www. dairy. co. jp/eng/eng12. html

Obama’s Health Care Reform

Obama’s Health Care Reform Building the universal health care system is one of the campaign promises of the Obama administration. Health care occupies a special place on public finance; it’s different with other goods markets in the daily life. It’s one of the important issues for the government, which associated with people’s life and death. People have high quality health care is a right of all people and should provide as a public service. People got their health insurance from the working companies, the government, or the insurance companies.The health care reform is the large part in Barack Obama’s presidency. On March. 23rd, 2010, finally the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act became law. Obama wants to use health care reform to stimulates the economy in the short run, but also reduce the deficit problem in the long run. This health care reform is the most important transition for the US. As we known US is the only developed countries which doesn’t have universal health coverage, it has more than 40 millions who don’t have health care insurance, also some family can’t afford the high health insurance cost.Also the public funds for the health care are also high; the US has the high cost health care but inefficient operation system. Now the aging problem become more serious, it has more retirees, the elders need more health care, and this increases the pressure of the health care insurance, increase the cost of the health care; also some technique widely used caused the expenditure increase†¦ The Obama’s health care plan quickly increase the number of people who have health care insurance by spending money upfront.The Act includes the health insurance providers are mandated to accept person, charging them the same rate as individuals without conditions; extend the coverage, provides more subsidies to the poor people to get the insurance, provide affordable health coverage for all Am ericans, no matter that are rich or poor; people have choice to select their insurance and doctors, it aims to eliminate some worst practices of the insurance company; reduce the cost and make health insurance more effective.The US would keep the employee-based health insurance to cover most Americans, also create a public insurance system for people who do not have insurance. The employers have to pay into the system for the employees or provide health care insurance as good as the federal system. Also individuals would pay into the public system, the government would give subsidy to lower the cost and make them affordable for the low-level class.As a family, 38% think that the life would be better off, 43% think that there’s no change; As the whole country, we find that 59% think the country will do better after health care reform, 19% think that there would be no change after reform, 12% think their life would be worse off. So to the whole country, most of people support t he reform. Actually, this reform brings the US many changes. To the whole US citizen, it extends coverage through mandated. The health care plan will provide affordable and efficient health insurance coverage for most Americans.So people who in the middle-level class or low-level class have ability to join into this health care plan. They all have right to get high quality health care. US expand the Medicaid range, give subsidy insurance premium to someone were poverty; creating a â€Å"national health insurance exchange†, it’s control by the government and sell insurance to people who don’t have health insurance; As shown in the graph, using the health care plan, the share of the population with health insurance coverage would increase to 93. 3% in 2019, spend about 20. 9% GDP on health care, means that government care more about people’s health.Change the US health care system to lower cost but high quality system. Obama put forward that â€Å"antitrus t laws to prevent insurers from overcharging physicians for malpractice insurance. † This not only reforms the medical malpractice system, regulate the insurance company, but also improve the efficiency of the whole system, improve patient safety. The most important part of Obama’s policy is make investment in health information technology, this strategy nor only improve the health care quality, also reduce the cost in long run society. He provides a competitive insurance market to promote more efficient and more competition.Promoting prevention and strengthening public health. In previous health care plan, less than one in twenty five goes for prevention. Obama’s notion of the health care plan is â€Å"to create the conditions and opportunities that allow and encourage Americans to adopt healthy lifestyles. † Prevention is the national priority, providing opportunities to have healthy lifestyle and keep disease away. .. For example, have more primary care provider and disease prevention program, established National Prevention, Health Promotion†¦ these federal agencies would help to build good promotion and prevention for the country.The government provides special funds for promotion and prevention; this would improve the quality of health care, improve the public health strategy and develop the new technology; provide new prevention technology information and regular screening for people†¦government provide such services to prevent disease by healthy lifestyle. The reform not only affects the health care, but also the economy. The most important impact on industry is the insurance industry.As the demand and for insurance increase because the regulation on employers, also the supply decrease the price is low due to the regulation, this would decrease the cost of health insurance. Recent years, insurance industry is overhead, by this health care reform, it reduces the overhead status and reduces the competition in this ind ustry. Obama’s plan regulate the insurance industry by providing new purchasing pools, standards the health care package, reducing expenses, promoting competition†¦without the reform, government spending on Medicare and Medicaid is unsustainable, also raising during years, by this, the family save a lot.The reform has regulation on employers should provide health insurance to the employees. Also to some small business, the government provide special subsidy fund to help them build the health care plan†¦ Obama’s plan tries to overhaul the previous health care system. He stands as the patient, the health care provider, employers, employees, government†¦ attempt to change aspect from different person’s opinion. This reform changes the current health care system and affects the economy, to build a universal health care system. It has variety advantages, but also it has some problems.Like government require employees to provide employers health insuran ce if they don’t have. To employers, this is not good news, basically, this increase their cost of hiring employers, and means that they should hire less people by the same amount spending. Also American is a democratic state; people have their own right to choose what they want. Obama’s opinion is build the universal health care system, but realization way is force all people to buy health insurance, people lost their right; at the same time, they should provide personal information to the insurance company, including their habits.The most important is government power expansion to the health insurance; Americans lost their own medical decision, the decision power transfers to the government. Also there’s problem whether the cost containment strategies going to support this universal health cares system in long run†¦ Now it’s hard to say the future of this health care reform, weather is good to public, or have some problem, time would tell us the tr uth. According to the short term, the reform is good for Americans and the economics also good for the people who cannot afford the insurance.It has positive impact on the society, become one of a big jump in the history. Citation: 1. http://www. calpoly. edu/~efisher/Econ%20464/NicoleWallen%20Senior%20Project. pdf 2. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Health_care_reform_in_the_United_States 3. http://healthpolicyandmarket. blogspot. com/2008/03/detailed-analysis-of-barack-obamas. html 4. http://www. bing. com/images/search? q=health+care+obama+plan&FORM=BIFD

Beowulf Vs. Gilgamesh

Beowulf Vs. Gilgamesh Essay Beowulf Vs. GilgameshThe two cultures I chose to compare heroic values for are the ancient Mesopotamia and ancient Anglo-Saxon cultures. The texts I used in the comparison are Gilgamesh for Mesopotamia and Beowulf for Anglo-Saxon. Although they posses many similar heroic characteristics they also differ greatly. Beowulf is the earliest surviving epic poem written in a modern European language. It was written in Old English sometime before the tenth century A.D. The poem describes the adventures of Beowulf, a Scandinavian warrior of the sixth century. Beowulf is described as a perfect hero who fights for his people and vanquishes evil with his extraordinary abilities to bring peace and justice. Three of Beowulfs traits that support this are his amazing physical strength, his ability to put his peoples welfare before his own, and the fact that he does not fear death. Beowulf is a hero in the eyes of his fellow men through his amazing physical strength and courage. He fought in numerous battles and returned victorious in all but his last. Beowulf was powerful enough to kill the monster Grendel, who had been terrorizing the Danes for twelve years, with his bare hands. When the two squared off Beowulf grabbed Grendals arm and ripped it off at the shoulder. Beowulf then fought Grendels mother, an even deadlier monster who was seeking revenge against Beowulf for her sons death. Beowulf was able to slay her by slashing her neck with a Giants sword that can only be lifted by a person as strong as Beowulf. When he chopped off her head, he carried it from the ocean with ease, but it took four men to lift the monsters head and carry it back to Herot. This strength is a key trait of Beowulfs heroism. Another heroic value Beowulf possessed was his tendancy to put the welfare of others before his own. Beowulf was asked by the Danes to help rid them of an evil monster that was terrorizing their city. Beowulf obliged and traveled far to face an awesome force that he did not know he could defeat. He realized the dangers of his battles but feared nothing for his own life. Beowulf risked his own life to save the Danes from Grendal then once again when Grendals mother came for revenge. Fifty years after slaying Grendals mother a fierce dragon began terrorizing Beowulfs people. Beowulf was old and tired but he still set out to fight the dragon to protect his people. As an old man Beowulf soon realized he was no match for the dragon, but he didnt run. With the help of one of his followers Beowulf fought hard and finally killed th e dragon, losing his own life in the process. Even in death he wished for the safety of his people. The most heroic of traits within Beowulf is that he was not afraid to die. He always explained his death wishes before going into battle and requested to have all his wealth and belongings distributed between his people. Beowulf was not afraid to die because he lived a heroic life and he felt it was his duty as a hero to defeat any evil or die trying. When we crossed the sea, my comrades and I, I already knew that all my purpose was this: to win the good will of your people or die in battle, pressed in Grendels fierce grip. Let me live in greatness and courage, or here in this hall welcome my death! (22) Beowulf knew that by battling evil monsters such as Grendal he would achieve immortality. The stories of his unconquerable courage would be retold again and again, forever. In life or in death a hero is glorified for their actions. READ: Essay about Cyber Security as an International Security Threat Essay. His strength, his ability to put his peoples welfare before his own, and the fact that he does not fear death makes him revered by all, especially those of his time. These are prime examples that support the idea that Beowulf was an epic hero that served as an example to those of his time. The second text I will be using for this comparison is The Epic of Gilgamesh. The Epic of Gilgamesh was one of the first pieces of literature known to man. The epic was found among ruins in Ninevah in the form of twelve large tablets, dating to 2,000 B.C. The epic is believed to be based on the Archaic Sumerian king Gilgamesh who ruled the city of Uruk around 2700 B.C. The main character in The Epic of Gilgamesh is a very powerful man who is two-thirds immortal and one-third man. He too is thought to be a hero and possesses many of Beowulfs heroic values, but he also possesses many differences. Like Beowulf, Gilgamesh possessed great physical strength unmatched by any man. He also had insurmountable courage. Gilgamesh fought numerous battles that were considered impossible to win. Gilgamesh first destroys an evil monster known as Humbaba. Humbaba is feared by all who enter his cedar forest. Gilgamesh arrives and kills Humbaba with a sword given to him by the god Shamash. After killin g Humbaba the goddess Ishtar sends The Bull of Heaven to destroy Gilgamesh. After the bull killed many of the townspeople Gilgamesh grabbed it by its tail and stabbed it in the back of its head. On his final quest for everlasting life Gilgamesh is attacked by a pack of lions. He takes an axe in one hand and a sword in the other and kills many of the lions, sending the rest fleeing in fear. Gilgameshs strength and courage is much like that of Beowulf. Gilgamesh did not put his people before him. He was an evil king. Gilgamesh sounds of tocsin for his amusement, his arrogance has no bounds by day or night. No son is left with his father, for Gilgamesh takes them all, even the children; yet the king should be a Shepard to his people. His lust leaves no virgin to her lover, neither the warriors daughter nor the wife of the noble In this way Gilgamesh did not display the same heroic values as Beowulf. Even when Gilgamesh set out on his first adventure to kill Humbaba his people and councilors pleaded with Gilgamesh not to go. But Gilgamesh was obsessed with becoming a hero. He set out to destroy Humbaba, his only ambition being to leave an enduring name. The one thing Gilgamesh feared was death. After his friend and companion, Enkidu, died Gigamesh became obsessed with death. He wept for seven days and seven nights before starting a great journey to find everlasting life. He searchers for a man named Utnapishtim, who was given eternal life by the gods, to find out how he escaped death. In both cultures the heros possessed god-like strength and defeated many evil beings. Both were courageous and feared no man or creature. Anglo-saxon heros stick to a stricter code of ethics.Beowulf is the prime example of an epic hero, and he embodies the conduct that the Anglo-Saxons of that time admired and also used as a model of perfection

Capital asset pricing model (CAPM) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Capital asset pricing model (CAPM) - Essay Example In the following years, economists have critically reviewed the published theory of CAPM and its application in reality after comparing the actual returns with the expected returns. The CAPM model is still widely used by companies as an efficient model for computing cost of capital (Ko) on the basis of explanation that securities with higher betas offer higher return. CAPM has numerous applications; it is used in capital budgeting, for analysis of merger and acquisitions, valuation of convertible securities and warrant and to value the equity of a firm. William Sharpe made several assumptions for investors in creating market equilibrium in order to validate the CAPM model (Sharpe, 1964). The model develops the price of an asset which it must hold in order to satisfy the investors for holding the current market portfolio. According to CAPM, everybody bears the same risk in different quantity. As the systematic risks is removed and the investors hold diversified portfolios, they will have a need for return and according to the utility function, the investor will rank the portfolio. All the investors will tend to buy the market portfolio as everybody possesses the same portfolio comprising of risk bearing assets. Furthermore, by purchasing several other assets, it is possible for the investor to diversify a part of the risk. The riskiness of a security is not entirely based on the unpredictability of its return. If one investor puts all his money in a single asset, then variability would be a suitable measure.

Journal Article Critiques Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Journal Article Critiques - Essay Example Thus, critiquing a research work, therefore, involves a careful examination of all aspects of the study, to assess its strength, limitations, meanings and relevance, in a bid to gain adequate up to date knowledge and provide essential information necessary for further studies. Holosko (2005, pg17) opined that irrespective of the aim of any research study, before taking an in-depth look at the different sections of the research, it is important to first examine the title, abstract, author’s affiliation and writing style. The purpose of title in a research study is to serve as identification, to provide information and to concisely describe the content of such research paper. Holosko (2005, pg19) argued that research titles need to be accurate, properly written and should avoid rhetorical questions. The title of the study under review sufficiently satisfies these criteria. It gives an insight into what the study is about and after reading through the report, one can say that the title accurate described the content of the research. The writing style and language of the research article also merits commendation. The language is simple enough for everyone to understand without necessarily undermining the technical nature of the research. The writing style also complies with the APA writing styles, both in referencing, citations and format. However, the sections of the report did not follow the format described by Holosko (2005) as the basic sections of any research study. The Introduction/Purpose subsections: Introduction, Purpose/Objective of the study, Rationale of the study and Literature review, was either completely missing or not correctly itemized. Although, this did not take away from the overall validity of the research effort, it however, is an unpleasant omission. An abstract is supposed to provide the surface reader with in depth information about a research study, without taking too

Deep Water Experts Financial Ratios Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Deep Water Experts Financial Ratios - Assignment Example Overall, the picture of the company’s financial health is quite promising, and a potential for expansion seemed to be a likely opportunity to explore. I. Short-term solvency or liquidity ratios Short-term solvency or Liquidity Ratios 2010 2011 Industry 1. Cash Ratio 1.08 1.56 0.21 2. Current Ratio 2.67 3.30 1.43 3. Interval Measure    96.92 n/a   4. Net working capital to total assets 0.12 0.17   n/a 5. Quick Ratio 1.80 2.20 0.38 Liquidity refers to the â€Å"availability of resources to meet short-term cash requirements† of the company (Larson and Jensen). In the case of Deep Water Experts’ finances, it refers to its ability to generate cash and cash-like assets to pay for its expenses as they come due, at least in the short-run horizon. Cash ratio indicates the amount of cash the company has for every unit of current liability falling due. In this area, the company has performed way better than the industry ratio. In 2011, it has a cash ratio of 1.56, whi ch means that it has 1.56 Arab Emirates Dirham (AED) to cover each unit of current liability falling due. This is way better than the industry’s 0.21 per unit of current obligation. ... Interval Measure indicates the company’s current asset per average daily operating cost, which includes cost of goods sold, operating expenses, and interests. While no industry average is available for comparison, on its own, the company seemed to have a large enough current asset compared to its average daily operating cost. It has a very solvent position in this regard, with almost 97 AED for each unit of average daily operating cost. The company has large investment in durable or fixed assets, as can be gleaned from its working capital to total assets ratio. While working capital has increased from 2010 to 2011, in relation to total assets, it is still pretty small, with only 17 percent compared to its total investment on its assets. Finally, the company’s quick ratio further confirms its high degree of solvency. It has a quick acid ratio 1.80 in 2010, improving further to 2.20 in 2011, while the industry performance is only 0.38. This company has lesser risk of defa ulting on its current obligations, as can be seen from its short-term solvency ratios. II. Long-term solvency or financial leverage ratios Long-term solvency has been defined as the â€Å"company’s long-run financial viability and its ability to cover long-term obligations† (Larson and Jensen). Further, it is concerned more on the company’s capital structure, or the composition of the company’s sources of finances to support its business activities, whether in financing, investing, or operating activities. The company’s debt to equity ratio measures the proportion of the company’s assets contributed by its owners, and those assets that are supplied by its creditors. In 2011, the company has one unit of debt for each unit of equity. In 2010, it has a

Statistical Analysis Discussion paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Statistical Analysis Discussion paper - Essay Example The mean overall job satisfaction of the male employees was 4.43 on a scale of 1-7 with 7 being the highest while the mean overall job satisfaction for the female employees was 4.26. The organization can target the female population in its efforts to increase job satisfaction perhaps by methods such as job sharing, paid time-off for family, child-care facilities, etc. This is especially important in light that there exists a 79% chance that an individual, randomly picked from the database will be female while there is a 50.7% chance that any randomly picked employee will be aged between 22 and 49 years old, the group that has most family commitments. Correlational research is concerned with measuring the strength and direction of the linear relationship between two random variables as measured by the correlation coefficient (Daniel and Terrell, 1995; Watson et al., 2005). It is dimensionless and it may assume any value between -1 and 1, inclusive (Daniel and Terrell, 1995). If the correlation coefficient is either -1 or 1, the variables have a perfect linear relationship in that all of the points lie exactly on a straight line. If the correlation coefficient is near -1 or 1, there is a high degree of linear association.

International business strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International business strategy - Essay Example As a direct result of this factor, businesses/organizations and entities rise or fall based upon the overall level of and effective culture that they are able to create within their respective divisions. Similarly, the external representation of culture is what impacts upon the consumers and in product/service users. As one can easily understand, and effective culture will create a positive feeling and likely generate a degree of returning consumers whereas negative aspects of culture will reduce overall sales and profitability and discourage repeat buyers of goods or services from integrating with a given company/organization within the future. As a means of understanding and defining the impact of culture plays upon a business entity, the following analysis will seek to understand the case of Shangri-La hotel group; an Asian hospitality chain that has sought to integrate its products and services into a more global market within the past several years. Firstly, due to the overall l evel of success that Shangri-La has been able to experience over the past several years, the reader/analyst can and should come to a unique understanding of the fact that the culture of this entity is ultimately a powerful positive motivator in determining the success that it has had in the past and will likely seek to continue to generate into the future. In short, it can be understood that the role of culture within Shangri-La holds a vitally important role in helping the firm to achieve the runaway success that it has within the broader markets of Asia. Before seeking to analyze the role in which culture has played in furthering and promoting the profitability and success of Shangri-La, this analysis will seek to briefly analyze and discuss some of the key cultural aspects that this author has selected to determine and define the level of service and success that of the far been realized. Although the following will not be an exhaustive list, it is the understanding of this parti cular analyst that these factors are of the utmost importance and have contributed greatly to the success and profitability that had been realized within the past several years. More importantly, as a result of a discussion and analysis of these factors, the reader can come to an understanding that in order for the firm to continue to display such a level of success and profitability, regardless of the particular market that they wish to integrate with, it is necessary for the business entity to continue to put forward these â€Å"best practices†. The term â€Å"Shangri-La† itself has come to mean a great many things throughout the world culture. However, the term is most basically understood as some type of ethereal paradise in which the eternal youth and happiness can be achieved. At an even more basic definition, within Asian cultures, Shangri-La means â€Å"eternal youth, peace, and tranquility†. Although will not be the purpose of this brief analysis to exp lain the means by which a name brand can promote a particular identity with regards to the consumer, as well as with regards to the derivation and promotion of a particular culture, these aspects must nonetheless be appreciated. In seeking to promote this idea of a paradise and tranquil place in which weary travelers can set their worries aside and enjoy and appreciate the solace that the hotel chain

Persuasive Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Persuasive Speech - Essay Example For every one of us, our childhood was the precious gift by the lord above. But wait, if it was a precious gift for us what about those unprivileged children who are badly struck with the fears of poverty, fear of getting beaten up at work, more precisely, the child labor, fear of being the victim of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. For all those children, childhood means nothing but a nightmare filled with abuses, injuries, pains and lots more. Today I will speak on Child Abuse. Can we spare a minute from our busy lives to think and act against all sorts of abuses to protect our children to save our future generation and our future leaders from all the evils dwelling in our society? Say no to child abuse. Help a child to restore his self-esteem and his confidence but most importantly, his childhood. I was surprised to know when I read that a number of children die of abuse and extreme neglect than of natural calamities. With the passage of time, the percentage of child abuse is soaring day by day and unfortunately. I have never observed any serious efforts or actions taken by the developed societies on this serious problem. How oblivious we are? Today, here with all my heart I condemn child abuse; be it physical, emotional, mental or sexual. Every child has a right to live a life of freedom. They deserve the same share of happiness and joy as we deserved in our times and like many of the privileged children around the world. It is important to understand the term â€Å"Child abuse† before I continue further. Child abuse is a serious injury inflicted purposefully upon a child by anyone who is in the role of his caregiver. Child abuse can be physical, mental, emotional or sexual. Child abuse is a global issue which needs serious efforts by all of us. It has been affecting children from all age groups to 18 years of age. The percentage of reported child abuse cases are increasing day by day. However, it has been observed that a large number of child abuses

Environmental Science Phase 4 Individual Project Essay

Environmental Science Phase 4 Individual Project - Essay Example The disadvantages with the batteries of electric cars, however, include their range, long recharging process and huge dimensions. The short distance travel, normally about 100 miles maximum, makes it impossible for electric cars to be tested in long travels due to the minimum of 5 hours recharging (Lee, 2007). There are various kinds of fuel cells, but the one best applicable for automobiles is pertained to as the (PEM) fuel cell. Some of its primary aspects are its capacity to ignite the engine immediately and to function at the worst conditions, which is very beneficial due to the fact that it does not consume much energy in order to function. However, the efficiency of fuel-cell-powered vehicles is hindered by the level of fuel in its tank (Sterrett, 1994). Most fuel cells for cars are also complicated and weigh heavily: a tremendous disadvantage for automobiles. The most recommended alternative fuel for cars that does not cause pollution is the hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen fuel possesses tremendous potential as a fuel source for the next hybrid of automobiles. They do not possess limitations like what normal car batteries have. Hydrogen is burned by a chemical process that does not cause pollution. Hydrogen fuel basically integrates hydrogen and oxygen in the chemical process that equates into electric power and water as end products. Add the fact that hydrogen is the present in every surface of the Earth. Because of these excellent qualities, hydrogen has normally been pertained to as the best fuel source available on Earth. Its primary reserve in this planet is water which is also abundant everywhere (Poole, 1992). The utilization of hydrogen as a fuel source for cars perfectly coexists with the environment, and not harmful. It is very impossible for Earth not have supplies of hydrogen. Hydrogen fuel is the recommended

The Great Gatsby Essay Example for Free

The Great Gatsby Essay Chapter 1 The narrator and one of the top-two main characters is Nick Carraway. He is a mix of narrator and author of the book. The first thing you encounter in the book is Nick commenting on himself. He characterizes himself as a very highly moral and highly tolerant person. He briefly mentions the hero of his story, Jay Gatsby, saying that Gatsby represented everything he scorns, but he will exempt Gatsby from his usual judgments. The actual story begins when Nick arrived in New York, this in year 1922. He moved there to work in the bond business and rented a house on a part of Long Island called West Egg. Here are some major differences between the place West and East Egg. West Egg is a place for the ? new? rich, those who have made their fortunes recently. The houses are in totally different sizes. Nick’s house is small and poor of taste while Gatsby has a giant mansion. East Egg on the other hand is conservative, aristocratic and noble. Nick is unlike his neighbors, is not lack of social connections and noble pedigrees. He graduated from Yale and has lots of connections on East Egg. If we take a few steps forward in the book, we are in the middle of a dinner on the East egg. Nick is at his cousin’s place, Daisy Buchanan. Daisy is married to a man named Tom Buchanan. Daisy seems to be very calm, but superficial and hides behind her proper shell. Tom is a powerful figure, dressed in riding clothes, greeting Nick on the porch and all that. This meeting will also be the first time Nick meets Jordan Baker, his future-flirt. There is never a very big focus on the Jordan and Nick romance even though it’s close to the main character. When Nick gets home he sees a very handsome young man standing in the lawn with his arms reaching towards the dark water, Gatsby. Nick is trying to understand what he is reaching for, but all he can see is a distant green light that might mark the end of the dock. Chapter 2 I found some parts of the book lengthy and not particular eventful and unfortunately chapter 2 was one of them. Basically two things happened. You get to understand the talent to create symbols Fitzgerald, the author, is. One example is a couple of eyes on a billboard in a gray valley halfway between West Egg and New York City, where ashes from New York were dumped. This valley is symbolizing a poor part of the population, the and the eyes could be seen as God or something powerful, since later one important incidents will occur under the watch of these never blinking eyes. The second event takes place on the fourth and final setting of the novel, which is New York City. Tom brought Nick here along with Tom’s lover, Myrtle Wilson. Tom takes Nick and Myrtle to an apartment he keeps for his affairs. Here they have an impromptu party. Nick claims this is the second time in his life he gets drunk and finds the party very vulgar and tasteless, but even though is too fascinated by it to leave. He also realizes during the party that Tom do not feel any regret to be with another woman. Chapter 3 The main reason why Gatsby is so famous around New York is that he throws amazing parties every weekend at his mansion, to which people long to be invited. One day, Gatsby’s chauffeur brings Nick an invitation to one of these parties. Nick takes the short walk to Gatsby’s house and joins the party, feeling somewhat out of place amid the crowd of overjoyed strangers. It does not take long until Nick notice all the rumors going on about their host – no one seems to know the truth about Gatsby’s wealth or personal history. Some say he was a German spy during the war, a graduate of Oxford and the he once killed a man in cold blood, no one really knows. His parties are absolutely insane and almost unbelievably luxurious. Guests marvel over his Rolls-Royce, his pool, his beach, crates of fresh fruit, buffet tents, a live orchestra playing under the stars and liquor flows freely. Nick meets Jordan at the party and while the other guests get more and more drunk, they begin to wonder where Gatsby is. At midnight Nick and Jordan go outside to watch the entertainment. They sit at a table with a handsome young man who says that Nick looks familiar to him: they realize they served in the same division during the war. The man introduces himself as none other than Jay Gatsby. Nick becomes increasingly fascinated by Gatsby, who seems very elaborate and formal and has a habit of calling everyone ? old sport?. He notice that Gatsby does not drink and that he keeps himself separate from the party, standing alone on the marble steps, watching his guests in silence. The remainder of the chapter is basically about Nick’s everyday life. How he works in New York, meets women and so on. Nick follows an advice he got from Daisy and Tom – which is to date Jordan Baker. Jordan, who is a professional golf player, is regarding to Nick dishonest, selfish and cynical but he is attracted to her vitality nevertheless.

Interior design Essay Example for Free

Interior design Essay 1940s prefab buildings Prefabricated houses were nonexistent before the Industrial Revolution, and were nearly impossible to construct (Pile 2005). During the course of time machinery and assembly lines were developed to an extent to allow that the idea of prefabricated houses becomes a reality. Sears Roebuck catalog was among the first to start featuring prefabricated houses in its issues, and each year they brought forth an enormous variety of styles and sizes of prefab houses for sale in 1908-1949 (Davies 2005). 1940s was the period when Americans were really concerned about affordable housing, and prefab, which was affordable and stylish at the same time (Pulos 1988). They could be ordered through catalogues and be ready for resettlement without leaving the homes. Innovation in this sense resulted in a boom among middle class households. Preassembled building components considerably reduced on-site labor and construction duration. Thus, in the late 1940s one solution to the problem was to build prefabricated houses consisting of a kit of parts which were built in a factory, and taken to the building site for rapid construction. Darlaston’s largest engineering firm, Rubery Owen Company Limited also accepted orders for cheap factory-built houses, and so the company’s Structural Department began to produce good quality houses for sale to local authorities and building companies (Parker 2009). Most of the ‘prefabs’ were small factory-built, single storey temporary bungalows with a life expectancy of just 10 years. Although around 156,000 of them were built by Rubery Owen Company limited, there was still an acute housing shortage. They were very comfortable and several options for different sizes of families existed. However, the solution was just temporary given the fact that the livelihood was very short. (Parker 2009) The houses were built around a rust-proof light steel frame with stanchions, trusses, and beams of a substantially rectangular form. To simplify and speed-up the building process, the design included simple forms of attachment for almost any suitable building material. The individual members of the steel structure were produced by bending, pressing or rolling, and the individual components were welded together at the factory. (Parker 2009) (Chandler, et al. 2010) In its turn the new movement promoted the development of steel production. Above all, this practical solution gave space to certain design experiments with again, practical touch. Simplicity and efficacy were the characteristics of designing prefab houses, and they were consequently first of all associated with comfort and space (Arieff and Burkhart 2002). A real success was manufactured house, or the mobile house which could be used for road transportation. Built in kitchen, air-conditioning, clearly and simply separated rooms were predecessors of compound design (Davies 2005). 1940 product design Genichi Taguchi was one of the pioneers of product design in the 1940s who introduced a new philosophy and a methodology on improving quality and design. His concept allowed that quality was â€Å"†¦achieved economically through inspection and product screening† (Cheremisinoff 1990). Taguchi built both conceptual framework and specific methodology for implementing his prospects. Thus, he put the stress on designing in quality, which was rather cheap than manufacturing poor and redesigning for numerous times. Loss function was a pivotal issue in his experiments and activities. Once again, we come over with cost effectiveness and certain elements of simplicity. When observing the experience of the United States we witness a rapidly growing field of design, and specifically in product design initially incepted by Shakers in the eighteen century; a religious community of English and French origin. They initially began developing craft-based objects to meet their own need (Burdek 2005) . Moreoveer, Sigfried Giedion recognized the most creative inventors of interior design – furniture, and describes the 40s as an exceptionally productive phase of inventive intelligence on the part of engineers. (Giedion 1967) Chairs, beds, and cabinets that were convertible, space saving and easy to transport laid the groundwork for American tradition of functional and democratic product culture that lasted until the early 20th century, when society increasingly differentiated into two-class system. (Burdek 2005) Impact of industrialization on product design was enormous. Industrial designers were identified as wizards of change, as they gave a product livelihood; they extended the life of a product with a unique design. (Pulos 1988) They sustained the product with innovation and attractiveness. In line with practical usage these last two features played a key role in advancing in product design and developing new paths for this promising discipline. 1940s was the period when the packaging was becoming as important as the product itself. Customers were buying products locked in nice and inviting packaging. Designers were moving up on the ladder of management, being considered as one of the most actors in promotion and product development. However, late 40s experienced a decline in glamorization of mere design, when quality and design started to balance. (Moskowitz, Beckley and Resurreccion 2006) Speaking about product design entails also a discussion on trademarks; this was also the era when logos, trademarks and brand development joint the bigger game. Product development and design appeared under dependence of trademark development processes. Pulos 1988) 1950s_1960_1970_1980 (youth culture) Youth culture of 1950-1980 is associated with rebellious, revolutionary, democratic and hippie, as well as drug, rock and sexual revolution (Resnik 1990). This is the period when youth rose their voice and expressed their views in the most rebellious ways. (Halliwell 2007) Brake states that the young people had their own distinctive patterns. For his youth culture developed inverse values to the adult world of productive work and conformity to routine and responsibility. The early 70s were highly distinguished in the rise of confronting entities, with liberated worldview and their own free style in fashion, lifestyle and manners. There was a real revolution headed by the youth which still inspires a great number of young people with its strong and burning culture. (Brake 1990) Youth culture was not only influential in the US, but also Great Britain, Canada and Europe. The middle class youth in the 50s was the generation which had more independence. This class became integrated into a general culture which was dominated with drugs, alcohol and sex, which were the primary indicators of independence of adult supervision. Hence, low class youth was illustrated as delinquent and impulsive. (Brake 1990) The earlier studies of youth in the mentioned period made no attempt to view youth in the context of political and social system. Thus, young people were observed as economic consumers of fun, fashion, music and drugs. However, popular music being a central feature in the youth culture, didn’t really reflect the whole wealth of creative and successful youth. Murdock and McCorn pointed out that for example, Presley was adored only by one fifth of interviewed people, the rest pointed out Pat Boone. The first was a rebel and anti authority, and the second encompassed an image of adult approved and self established artist. (Brake 1990) This comes to prove the somehow exaggerated statements on youth culture in the mid and late 1970s (Norton, et al. 2008). The same concerns also the available data on teenagers; they were described as looking glamour, attractive, having fun, all entering into a higher educational system. (Jamieson and Romer 2008)

Bitcoin as a Worldwide Currency

Bitcoin as a Worldwide Currency Andrew Rushing Priscilla Hartley Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency, has been the topic of many debates since its conception, on whether it should be considered as a viable worldwide currency for international trade. Bitcoin is a type of currency known as cryptocurrency; it is an all virtual currency that can be used at some online shops and to pay bills from a few different companies. Bitcoin should not be consider a viable worldwide currency for international trade, with its lack of a standard to back it up, whether it would have been by gold or silver. The non-supporters, of using the Bitcoin as a worldwide currency, argue against the Bitcoin by saying the currency is not very stable. In Christopher Matthews’ 2014 Time Magazine article, he states, â€Å"On December 6th and 7th of last year, the value of one Bitcoin fell from $1200 to $600 in the course of 48 hours. The non-supporter of the Bitcoin currency would use this example of a value drop to deface the value of the Bitcoin, because if a company were to store all of its wealth in the bitcoin currency and the currency had another drop like that forty-eight hour period in December of 2013, the company could face bankruptcy as stated by Christopher Matthews in his 2014 Time Magazine article. (Matthews, 2014, Paragraph 6) Most people seem to find the currency as more of gambling or the stock market then a currency to use for shopping, because of its spontaneous drop and rises of value. Besides the lack of stability of value in Bitcoins, non-supporters of the cryptocurrency argue that the currency is not protected well, according to Erin Negley, Hackers are a problem when it comes to the Bitcoin system; he feels hardly anything was done when hackers hacked into a Bitcoin Market and stole billons of the cryptocurrency. Non-Supporters of the Bitcoin system feel there is a lack of traceable information, so it could be used to act out acts of terror by terrorist. One person who is intrigue with the use of Bitcoin, Judy Walker, says some people feel Bitcoins are a lot safer than credit or debit cards because there is a lot less personal information stored in the records for Bitcoin accounts. Another reason supporters feel that Bitcoins should be more widely used as a worldwide currency is that international transaction, such as sending money to someone in another country, in their opinion is a lot easier and faster using Bitcoins over transferring country by country currency that would have to be transferred into a different currency and cause fees to be charged. Judy Walker is intrigued by the Bitcoin, but she says she would rather stay with the dollar for now. Marc Andreessen, a supporter of Bitcoins, states in his 2014 New York Times article that he feels the Bitcoin is a lot more consumer friendly because of the lack of fees for transfers, that banks would have charged the consumer. He also states in the 2014 New York Times article, He fee ls the use of Bitcoin would bring underdeveloped countries into the modern world when it comes to economical standards set by the first world countries. He also thinks that Bitcoins could help the â€Å"underbanked† citizens in the United States by having lower fees then the conventional banking systems offer. Andressen later states his opinion on an issue that the non-supporters of Bitcoin express, â€Å"Finally, I’d like to address the claim made by some critics that Bitcoin is a haven for bad behavior, for criminals and terrorists to transfer money anonymously with impunity. This is a myth, fostered mostly by sensationalistic press coverage and an incomplete understanding of the technology. Much like email, which is quite traceable, Bitcoin is pseudonymous, not anonymous. Further, every transaction in the Bitcoin network is tracked and logged forever in the Bitcoin blockchain, or permanent record, available for all to see. As a result, Bitcoin is considerably easie r for law enforcement to trace than cash, gold or diamonds.†(Andressen, paragraph 31) There are many different points of views when it comes to the Bitcoin system being used as a worldwide currency. The non-supporters, who feel it should not be used as a worldwide currency, state that the system is not very reliable when it comes to value, and the system is not very secured as nothing was done when billons of Bitcoins were stolen from a Bitcoin market. The supporters, who feel the Bitcoin should be used as a worldwide currency, state that the system is more secure because it does not require information about the consumer to be release to the buyer as that of a debit or credit card would. The supporters also feel that the Bitcoin would make international trading easier, making it easier to send money to family members back in another country, and would help the â€Å"underbanked† citizens of the United States by having lower fees than that of a conventional banking system. The Bitcoin system is a system that does not have a standard to back it up, the value inc reases and decreases rapidly; therefore the system should not be used for a worldwide currency. Annotated Bibliography Andreessen, Marc. Why Bitcoin Matters. New York Times, January 21, 2014, www.nytimes.com. Andreessen discusses the history of the bitcoin from conception to present. The article includes information on what a bitcoin is and how the currency is valued. He gives facts, with information to back those facts up. An obvious plus of this article is that, the author uses both arguments for and against the use of bitcoins virtual cryptocurrency as a worldwide currency; he does use expressive words when discussing the opinions of both sides. Because of the use of opinions in this article, care would be needed to stay unbiased when taking things from this source. This source would be overall an okay source to use for a research paper. CHAFKIN, MAX. CAN BITCOIN CLEAN UP ITS ACT? (Cover Story). Details 33.4 (2015): 94. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 23 Mar. 2015. This article is on the virtual cryptocurrency, called Bitcoin. The article goes over the beginnings of the international conference series Coin Congress, the assistance for finances offered by Crypto Currency Partners for bitcoins startup, and plans of hackers. He goes over how the leaders of the bitcoin movement are now being shut out by the elite member of American Society, where at the beginning it was mostly used by hackers, drug dealers, and illegal arms traffickers. This article is okay to use, but the writer of a research paper would need to be carefully when using direct quotes from the article. Matthews, Christopher. Why Economists Are Right to Hate on Bitcoin. Time, January 3, 2014, www.time.com. This article is based around the cons of using Bitcoins as a currency. The author uses financial records and his background in the financial world to show his statements are able to be backed up. He states that businesses would not want to use the bitcoin virtual currency because the currency is not very stable. The currency value dropped 600 dollars in the matter of two days which would have caused any businesses to be on the verge of financial collapse if they had store their revenues in bitcoins. He does state the opposite sides opinions and answers them with his own response. The author does a good job at stating facts and when he says his opinion it is quite obvious that it is an opinion. I believe if the writer of the research paper is careful this would be a good source to use for the research paper. Negley, Erin. Bitcoin basics. Reading Eagle (PA) 01 June 2014: Points of View Reference Center. Web. 23 Mar. 2015. The author explains that bitcoins are a cryptocurrency. He provides an overview of the mining system used for bitcoins. He states that little is done when hackers hack the system, taking billions of the virtual currency known as bitcoins. He provides an overview of the markets used to exchange the cryptocurrency. The article provides both the benefits, that those who agree with the bitcoin virtual currency system uses to support their belief, and the drawbacks, that those who disagree with the bitcoin virtual currency system uses to support their beliefs. The article provides information about where you can use the bitcoins, both in online stores and brick and mortar businesses. He goes over the potential that bitcoins have. He uses very little expressive language in the parts of his article consisting of pure facts, but there are spots where he uses people opinions and those have expressive language in those opinions. He uses facts and opinions used by both sides, those who agree and disagree with the bitcoin system, this would be a great source to use for a research paper. Walker, Judy. Bitcoins: The Future Of Money?. Faces 31.6 (2015): 20. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 23 Mar. 2015. The author provides information on bitcoins, and she mentions that bitcoin are a form of money used on online shopping. She later states that bitcoins can be used to exchange for goods and services also at brick and mortar business in everyday life. He also states that some consumers feel better about using bitcoins over credit cards and debit cards, because little information is needed about the consumer. The use of bitcoins also makes international trading easier. The author uses more facts than opinions, but states opinions supporting bitcoins as a virtual currency are stated. A drawback of this source is the lack of opposing views, the author states those opinion that only agree with the use of bitcoin virtual cryptocurrency. This could be a source to use for a paper, however care would be needed to make sure the use of opinions in this article are not transferred to the r esearch paper, as a fact because this would be bias.

Strippers and Stripping :: Free Essays Online

An Examination of the Literature on Strippers and Stripping For centuries, psychologists, sociologists, academics, historians, and filmmakers have devoted themselves to the exploration and dissection of sex and power. All dancers talk about their work as being something they enjoy. The financial independence gives them control over their lives and their ability to transfix a room full of men with a simple glance, further confirms their desirability. But how far will it stretch before they fall victims to their own universe? (DC One, 37). This sweeping remark on the life and times of female strippers was extracted from a popular Washington, D.C. magazine called DC One, which focuses on the dining, entertainment, and nightlife featured in D.C. This particular issue was dubbed "The Men's Issue," and contained an exposà © on stripping in "gentlemen's clubs." The quotation above demonstrates the tension that exists in the world of stripping, both within the private world of the strippers themselves, as well as in the public perception of this occupation. Is stripping empowering for women? Or, is it purely objectifying, and does it serve only the interests of the men who are the viewers and the consumers? The comment above would suggest that the money and accolades that these women receive creates a mutually exploitative situation; one that is beneficial for both parties involved, albeit in a different manner. But then the writer second-guesses herself, forging ahead to say: "But how far will it stretch before they fall v ictims to their own universe?" (DC One, 37). What is this "universe" and is it ultimately as damaging as the author might imagine? Although the article does little to respond to this issue, many decades of researchers have attempted to look at this and other questions surrounding the occupation of stripping. The results of the studies have been varied and suggest that there is no one way to view either the strippers themselves or the clients who access this service. In this paper, I will attempt to do an overview of the studies that have been conducted on strippers and stripping as an occupation. I will utilize studies and articles that focus primarily on women as strippers to consider specifically the questions addressed in the opening paragraph. Are women empowered in any way by this occupation? Or, as some feminist theorists have suggested , is it purely objectification, with no positive benefits to the women involved? This paper will evaluate the existing studies and literature in an attempt to locate moments of empowerment, a sense of agency, and, to borrow Carol Rambo Ronai's term, "resistance strategies " present in the daily lives and experiences of strippers.

Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin In The Sun Essay -- essays research pap

Dream’s Recovered   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Everyone has dreams; everyone has goals they want to accomplish. Some know what it is instantly and some take time to realize what they want to do. But not everyone will achieve their dreams and some, because of sad circumstances lose their grip on their dream and fall into a state of disappointment. Langston Hughes poem relates to the dreams of Mama, Ruth, and Walter in Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ruth has to listen to Walter’s extravagant dreams of being rich and powerful all the time and know that these dreams will never happen. They are very poor and Travis must sleep on the couch because they only have a two-room apartment. Ruth’s dream of having a baby seems crushed when she finds out that she’s pregnant and realizes they can’t support another in the household. When mama and Walter argue about Ruth getting an abortion Walter says she wouldn’t do anything like that as she walks in, she says â€Å"Yes I would too Walter. I gave her a five-dollar down payment.† (1.2.75). Ruth’s dream of having a baby is dried up when she knows they can’t support another child in the household.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lena Younger has always dreamed of a garden with beautiful flowers in her own yard next to her own house. But she is devastated when she hears that Walter took the rest of money for the house and Beneatha’s school money and gave it to Willy Harris who literally stole the Young... Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun Essay -- essays research pap Dream’s Recovered   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Everyone has dreams; everyone has goals they want to accomplish. Some know what it is instantly and some take time to realize what they want to do. But not everyone will achieve their dreams and some, because of sad circumstances lose their grip on their dream and fall into a state of disappointment. Langston Hughes poem relates to the dreams of Mama, Ruth, and Walter in Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ruth has to listen to Walter’s extravagant dreams of being rich and powerful all the time and know that these dreams will never happen. They are very poor and Travis must sleep on the couch because they only have a two-room apartment. Ruth’s dream of having a baby seems crushed when she finds out that she’s pregnant and realizes they can’t support another in the household. When mama and Walter argue about Ruth getting an abortion Walter says she wouldn’t do anything like that as she walks in, she says â€Å"Yes I would too Walter. I gave her a five-dollar down payment.† (1.2.75). Ruth’s dream of having a baby is dried up when she knows they can’t support another child in the household.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lena Younger has always dreamed of a garden with beautiful flowers in her own yard next to her own house. But she is devastated when she hears that Walter took the rest of money for the house and Beneatha’s school money and gave it to Willy Harris who literally stole the Young...

English Language Learners Essay -- Education, ESL

Presently there is a rising number of English Language Learners (ELLs) entering into classrooms all over the country. According to the three research studies that I utilized, there are several varied assessment approaches for teaching ELLs in reading (Davis-Lenski, Ehlers-Zavala, Daniel, & Sun-Irminger, 2006; Dreher, & Letcher-Gray, 2009; Ebe, 2010). English Language Learners (ELLs) consistently struggle with some aspects of reading because, they lack background knowledge in terms of the generalized text selections, which they are often given (Davis-Lenski, Ehlers-Zavala, Daniel, & Sun-Irminger, 2006; Dreher, & Letcher-Gray, 2009; Ebe, 2010). The data across all three journal documents agrees that there is an achievement gap where ELLs are consistently performing at lower levels than their native-born English-speaking peers (Davis-Lenski, Ehlers-Zavala, Daniel, & Sun-Irminger, 2006; Dreher, & Letcher-Gray, 2009; Ebe, 2010). Researchers seem to vary on how to instruct, and assess st udents who are ELLs. One element that all of the authors concentrated on was seeking out the best practice(s) for using assessments to create effective instruction for ELLS (Davis-Lenksi, Ehlers-Zavla, Daniel, & Sun-Irminger, (2006), Dreher, & Letcher-Gray (2009) and Ebe 2010). There are 4.5 million ELLS currently enrolled in the public school systems in the United States, and the numbers are continuously rising due to the more than 1 million people who immigrant here each year (Davis-Lenski, Ehlers-Zavala, Daniel, & Sun-Irminger, 2006). Many teachers find themselves in unknown territory when it comes to instructing and assessing ELLs (Davis-Lenski, Ehlers-Zavala, Daniel, & Sun-Irminger, 2006). The passing of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) furth... ...lready stated, and all of them also have different assessment approaches included in their articles too. After reading all of the information I must say I think that all of the assessments, and the strategies and tools associated with the articles, are all borne out of research-based instructional, and assessment methods and therefore; they are all relevant to working with ELLs per literacy (Davis-Lenski, Ehlers-Zavala, Daniel, & Sun-Irminger, 2006; Dreher, & Letcher-Gray, 2009; Ebe, 2010). I don’t think any one of the assessments profiled in the three articles I researched, is anything better than the other. However I also think that although all of the techniques discussed are good solid research-based assessment tools; one still has to understand that they will require applications which are well structured, and the most appropriate for that specific student.

Pop Culture Essay Essay

There are many movie genres out today than there were before in earlier years. Movie genres are basically different types of movies, such as: horror, suspense, mystery, drama ,romance, etc. Today it seems that most peoples favorite movie genre is horrow or action. Action movies have a lot of different stuff in them that is pleasing to the eye. Action movies are typically loud and have a lot of fighting, racing, and adventurous things in the film. Horror movies on the other hand have a lot of scary things in the movies. Their big thing is that the more blood they have the better it is to the audience watching. Even though horror and action may be the top picks of the rest of the country, I have my own genre of movies that I particularly like the best. My favorite genre of movies is romance. In a romance based movie, it is filled with love and a lot of laughter throughout the whole movie. While most romance movies start off bad and end up with a happy ending, some start out good and end good as well. Most romance movies today start out being bad and then it ends up in the happy ending that you suspect from the title of the movie. Romance movies go through every movie genre there is. There is suspense and sometimes a little horror as well. Sometimes, and most of the time, they contain a lot of drama. The best romance movies are the ones full of drama that is fun to watch. Every woman around the world enjoys a good romance movie. Many women around the world love romance movies, including myself. Simply because they meet the cravings that every woman has sometime throughout their lives. Each and every romance movie touches a woman in some way or another. Every girl dreams of having that guy from a love story. They want them to be loving and caring and when we watch these movies we imagine ourselves being the girl in the movie. Some movies, even make a girl feel better after a breakup. However, some of the real love stories can make it worse than ever before. Also, romance movies will make you cry if it is one of those that are filled with sad moments throughout the whole movie. As a girl, sometimes we feel the need to cry, whether it is stress or PMS. The  romance movies are a good way to bring out the inner emotions and in the end, make you feel a whole lot better. Drama is another movie genre that gets included into romance movies. Drama can be funny and it can also bring out deeper thoughts and emotions. Everyone and especially women, have a fair share of their love for drama. Women like to gossip and chick flick, love stories are filled with it. Gossiping is a way to let things out and to give out information that can be bad or good. It just depends on who is saying it or what is said. The good thing is, the drama in the romance stories are usually not true. Even though we all get a good laugh at the stupid ones in the movie. In conclusion, romance genre movies are a favorite. They can make you happy or sad or bring out different emotions. Romance movies are twisted with drama along with romance to bring out laughter or anger in the audience. Everyone will have their own personal reaction to every single romance movie that comes out. Therefore, in my opinion, romance genre movies are the best because they contain many qualities that other genres do. Meaning that they satisfy almost every â€Å"craving† that a person has for a good movie.

Effects of Too Much Technology in Children Essay

The effects of applied science commode be serious from barbarianren not make it external to ADD and ADHD. Most children drop off to a greater extent time in movement of a television than they do performing alfresco with friends (TV). As more engine room comes out every day, we tolerate to set a limit for children. universe around in like manner much(prenominal) technology after part eventu each(prenominal)y affect you mentally. at that place are a lot of things instantaneously that could bring on ADD or ADHD, but there could be any(prenominal) other cause. Studies open sh stimulate that technology is starting to piece of cake a major part.A ponder at Iowa State University repointed that people who trick video games for more than two hours a day have double the chances of developing an attention dis govern (Pytel). Using too much technology quite a little unimpeachably affect nighone mentally. other shock about using too much technology is that its driving children absent from going outside and playing with friends. nearly childrens scarcely contact with personality is through Discovery Channel or Nation Geographic Channel. You will only ever probe kids playing at the local park anymore.Not only has too much technology prevail to driving kids away from nature, but likewise childhood obesity, laziness, and addiction to games and internet because of it. Parents imply to take transaction and take their kids outside instead of letting them sit in front of a TV all day long (Mehta). Taking action is a must in order for kids to get away from the technological beingness. A big part of kids not make it outside is because of the media world announce things electronic. Nowadays, everything from a cereal box to a TV show or commercial is advertizement either a game or a TV show.Somethings give out online virtual worlds that you can make your own you. Not only could this bring your child to more technology, but let them die in a virtual world and not the real world. Companies make online games that you have to tend to every day or you will lose coins or some sort of virtual money, thus manner of speaking children even closer to the world of technology. Another thing is that television advertisements. On close every childrens TV show there is a commercial for some video game or TV show that they just have to see.When kids see other kids, for example, playing video games online or off, they think that its okay to do that too. Notice that companies never set a limit on how much you can play every day. Instead of advertising video games, why dont they start advertising getting outside and getting moving? Advertisements are a huge influence on kids. withal much technology usage can affect a child seriously. From childhood obesity and game addictions to ADD and ADHD, technology is starting to effect the next generation of tomorrow in a electronegative way.