Opening a new sport shop Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Opening a new sport shop - Essay Example Scott McPherson is starting out as a small-scale businessman, testing his market and value chain before going full blast into an entire chain of stores. McPherson must therefore start out with a single store and expand gradually after that after gaining a stronger foothold on the business. The choice of a business should be one that has a quick cash cycle that would turn over sales at a relatively fast pace, but which has the potential of growing to a chain of store catering to retail sale of consumer goods. For this purpose, a sports retail business would be a good enterprise for McPherson, whose twenty years as secondary school teacher would have kept him abreast of the various sports events at least in the school level. The appeal and demand for sports and outdoors gear and equipment has a stable market because of the strong interest in sports and fitness. An image attaches to being associated with a healthy lifestyle, even if it be conveyed by one’s clothes or footwear. Fi nally, sports activity is usually complemented by a desire for healthy and nutritious A comprehensive analysis of the sports retail sector follows: SWOT ANALYSIS The SWOT analysis is a helpful tool for formulating the strategic plan of a business. It identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the firm and juxtaposes this against the opportunities and threats in the environment, maximizing strengths for opportunities and minimizing weaknesses to avoid the threats. The SWOT analysis for McPherson’s store chain follows: STRENGTHS A source of strength is the familiarity of McPherson with secondary schools’ sports programs, and his contacts with sports teachers and program directors in the different schools. It should be recalled that McPherson’s twenty year history as a secondary school teacher would have created friendships that would be useful for his business, from a relational point of view. Another strength of McPherson’s business would be its financial stability, having skipped the period of economic crisis which had ruined or weakened the finances of many small (and large-scale) businesses. OPPORTUNITIES A good number of schools and universities located in the South England area provide a lucrative market, which could still expand and absorb additional supply despite the existence of other stores. Retail customers are in constant search of new shops which may provide better product offerings, or better terms of sale. A further opportunity presenting itself is the growing interest in new media sports, where indoor digital sports consoles games enable persons interested in keeping fit but without the

Compare and Contrast Liberalism and Socialism Essay

Compare and Contrast Liberalism and Socialism - Essay Example Liberalism on the other hand is a philosophy which is linked or associated with ideas like the individual liberty and equality. Liberalism started in the 17th century though some argue that it has roots much earlier than that. Marcus Aurelius, the emperor of Rome recognized a government which gave freedom of speech and equal rights to all its citizens (Antoninus 3).  It is often difficult to define liberalism because of its diversity and different forms (Young 24) but liberalism has attracted both, support and criticism from people with various thoughts and ideologies. In Northern America, liberalism  most nearly refers to  social liberalism  in contemporary politics. The  Liberal Party  is pointed to be a modern-liberal party (Puddington 142).  Liberalism in The United States of America  traces its history when Franklin Roosevelt was the president of the country. The  New Deal   initiated by Franklin Roosevelt influenced many American presidents in the future inc luding John F. Kennedy. Kennedy was a liberal himself and he said, "a liberal is someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions and someone who cares about the welfare of the people" (Alterman 32). When Barack Obama won the presidential elections in the year 2008, the economic ties led to the re establishment of social liberalism (Wolfe xiv) In the late 20th century, the â€Å"post industrial economy† created doubts among many about socialism which was in response to the industrial capitalism. During this era, information technology was given a higher bar than labor and material. Because of the doubt, many politicians adopted a â€Å"third way† which would preserve socialism and prevent the class based politics. Politicians who worked towards the promotion of socialism and hence the development of industrial growth includes Tony Blair, Bill Clinton and Wim Kok. (Ball & Dagger). The foremost principle of liberalism is indi vidual freedom. This freedom must be exercised in all phases of life as well as under all political and economic conditions. Socialism on the other hand presses upon an individual’s sociability. It minimizes competition and increases cooperation. Some socialists claim that when humans exploit other humans, the reason for poverty emerges through selfish motives and self interests. Thus, socialism is extremely important for the existence of markets and institutions as it promotes change. With respect to socialism, the role of the government is to make sure that the wealth is being fairly distributed among the masses. Socialism’s most important principle will only be achieved when all the workers of a state will have the same opportunity for economic equality. The relationship between socialism and liberalism is not certain. Socialism began in the 19th century with some strong ideologies and by the writings of Marx. Like liberalism, socialism also broke into many movement s after it was found (Grigsby 119).  Karl Marx did not accept the fundamental aspects of liberalism and also hoped to erase the differences between an individual and the society (Koerner 9). The allocation of resources used towards the making of useful products is socialism. The commodities or

History of the Selective Service and the Draft

History of the Selective Service and the Draft Albeit with some qualifying distinctions, women have always served in the U.S. Military since the birth of America. Their roles, responsibilities and numbers have steadily increased over the years and their strides in equality have afforded them the same opportunities as men. However, they have never been subject to Selective Service registration or a military draft in America. Women continue fighting towards being considered equals in the eyes of the nation even though U. S. Military policies changed, lifting all restriction on combat roles. Some might say it is time while others might say women should never have to register. Women should be given the same legal obligation as men to register for the Selective Service by their 18th birthday. In 1917, Congress passed the Military Selective Service Act (MSSA) at the end of World War I, which authorized them to draft men as troops. President Roosevelt supported amending the act to draft women as nurses during World War II and the act passed in both the House and Senate just before the end of the war. The country came close to drafting women as nurses during World War II, but a surge of volunteers made it unnecessary. The draft, again, was used during both the Korean and Vietnam Wars and pulled from qualified men only. There was a lot of protest against the Vietnam War and the draft during this time. Nobody wanted to send the nations boys off to fight and die in a senseless war. Many men would find ways to dodge the draft. The drafts immense unpopularity during the Vietnam War saw to its end in 1973 and in 1975, whereupon registration for the Selective Service was no longer required. U. S. Military would now and for the next 40 years be considered an All-Volunteer Force. In 1980, the MSSA was reinstated and, once again, men between the ages 18 and 26 would have to register with the Selective Service. This reinstatement of the Selective Service Act came in response to heightened Russian military action and President Carter wanted to ensure that the nation had the contingence force to meet any possibly threats. Included in the Act was an amendment to consider women for registration and service in the U. S. Military. Congress approved reactivating registration, but declined the amendment due to Department of Defense (DOD) policy excluding women from assignments in combat positions. Even with the reinternment of the MSSA by President Carter, the draft was never enacted after 1973. December of 2015 brought a major shift to the U. S. Military with the announcement that all military jobs were now open to women. Military officials and Senators took this opportunity to reexamine and amend the MSSA to include female registrants. In June of 2016, the Senate passed the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act that included the amendment as the next logically progressive course of action. The primary reason for the Selective Services exclusion of women relied upon womens restrictions from combat roles. Still, many legislators oppose having the nations daughters, mothers and wives being drafted and forced to fight in a war. There are speculations that Congress had removed the amendment and corroborated a compromised version of the legislation with the Senate. The White House initially opposed women having to register with the Selective Service, but in December of 2016 voiced support for amendment and with women in combat roles. The final decision may not be with the President, Senate, or Congress, but rather with Federal Judicial branch, which may ultimately be the deciding voice on whether this policy is effectuated. Legal case against the Selective Service The MSSA has been legally challenged on severely occasions by citizens and organizations claiming unfair discrimination or unconstitutional merit. The issues are: who is being discriminated against and what rights are being violated? The answer: women for not having the same obligation and opportunities as men to defend our country or men for being singled out and forced to fight in a war in the event of the draft being enacted. In July of 1980, Robert Goldberg filed a lawsuit against Bernard Rostker and the Selective Service System, claiming the MSSA violated the Fifth Amendments due process clause and was unconstitutional. Rostker appealed the decision of the Pennsylvania Federal Court to the Supreme Court when Goldberg won. In the Supreme Court case of Rostker v. Goldberg (453 U.S. 57) of 1981, the court ruled in favor of Rostker stating that the MSSA does not violate the Fifth Amendment due process clause due to current restriction of combat roles on women. Congress concluded the MSSAs purpose relied on drafting combat troops, and restrictions made registering women null. In April of 2013, James Lesmeister and the National Coalition for Men filed a lawsuit against the Selective Service Administration once more claiming that the MSSA was unconstitutional. The Central District of California Court dismissed the case, stating U. S. Military policies still excluded women from combat positions. However, in February of 2016, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the courts dismissal, since the lawsuit had new legitimacy due to combat roles being now opened to women. Women in combat roles Women have societally fought hard to be considered equally qualified for the same positions and opportunities as men, and the U.S. Military is no exception. Since the 1990 and for the next 27 years, women have started to take a more direct role in combat positions and so has their heroism and sacrifices. The nation saw the first of many in the increase of womens roles; U.S. Navy warship and U.S. Air Force fighter squadrons commanders, women fly fighter jets in combat and combat missions off of aircraft carriers, cleared to serve aboard combat ships at sea and aboard submarines, and most recently with two women graduating from the U. S. Armys Ranger School. Army Capitan, Kristen Griest, one of the first women to graduate became the first female infantry officer in U. S. Army history (Kamarck, 2016b, p. 7). Women are now being accepted to many training courses that were once off limits. The U. S. Army has approved female officers for the Infantry and Armor branches and the U. S. Marine Corps approved women as riflemen and machine gunners. Womens heroism and sacrifice The Global War on Terrorism has proven that women being outside of combat roles do not equate women not being involved in combat. Women have earned an overwhelming number awards for valor during Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraq Freedom (OIF) than any conflict before. The awards included Silver Stars, Distinguished Flying Crosses, Air Medals, and Bronze Stars the same awards men have received valor in combat roles. U. S. Army Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester became the first female soldier to be awarded the Silver Star since World War II and to be cited for close combat action (Kamarck, 2016b, p. 7). Heroism and sacrifice often intertwine, and women bore witness to sacrifice in combat, just like men. Margaret Cochran Corbin became the first woman to receive a military pension for an injury sustained in defense of Fort Washington during the American Revolutionary War (Kamarck b p1). The nonlinear warfare of the OEF and OIF put women in direct combat engagement, as a result women casualties and wounded then all other military conflicts combined. Women required register In a world of unpredictable political climates, inevitable foreign and domestic threats to our country and its U. S. Military call forth the need for the Selective Service. It serves as a natural deterrent to possible threats, stating that the U. S. Military has the ability to assemble a much larger force in times of crisis. The Selective Service System to as a relatively low-cost insurance policy against potential future threats that may require national mobilization beyond what could be supported by the all-volunteer force (Kamarck, 2016a, p. 24). Having women register for the Selective Service benefits our country twofold as it grants the U. S. Military an equally qualified group of citizens protecting the nation and it shows the U. S. Military has a higher ability to fill its ranks. The nation would truly show women are equal and in a time of national emergence can be called upon. Women not required register The ethical and moral issues arise by excluding women from registering now that military restrictions have been lifted; men would be forced to fight on the front line while women get to choose if the draft is ever enacted, and the MSSA is unconstitutional and discriminatory. Concerns of fairness and equality for men are raised when exemptions for women are currently in place, as men would not have an equal opportunity to opt out of combat assignments. The ability to choose opting from combat may cause its own issues for the Service, as many would choose to avoid combat, especially in the event of a war or national emergency (Kamarck, 2016a, p. 26). Legal cases can now be made against the MSSA being unconstitutional and discriminatory. Previous court roles will have to be re-examined and whether or not the MSSA violate the U.S. Constitutions equal protection clause will have to be addressed. A clear message would be sent throughout the nation regarding womens equality in society and t heir inability to protect the nation, even with the changes in military views (McGuire, 2014, p. 709). Resolving the Selective Service System By resolving the Selective Service, it could potentially increase the possibility of crisis throughout the world. Studies have shown that if the government tried to reintroduce a registration requirement during a time of a national need, there would sufficient challenges fully staffing and optimizing the necessary infrastructure that would be needed to meet the urgent DoD requirements. Enforcing a new registration requirement during time of need would likely result in a very low compliance rates, making difficult to establish a database of eligible individuals. (Kamarck, 2016a, p. 25) Conclusion The desirable outcome for the Selective Service will be with either women having to register or resolving the system all together. The truth is, nobody wants to see their sons or daughters being forced to fight in a war. The draft has been negatively perceived since the Vietnam War. Even the mention of the draft during any military action insets many to protests. The last time the draft was enacted, the overwhelming unpopularity caused it to be resolved. Many men found ways to avoid the draft, some more extreme than others. The Selective Service System has come under legal fire many times, suits claiming unfair discrimination or unconstitutional merit. For far too long, the Selective Service has been gender-exclusionary in regards to U.S Military restriction on combat roles. Now that policies have changed, so should the Selective Service. Regardless of gender, people who meet the required standards should be assigned to roles consistent to their abilities.

Examine Miller’s presentation of John Proctor :: English Literature

Examine Miller’s presentation of John Proctor and the Circumstances which lead to his choosing to be executed. Although the events of the play are based on events that took place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, Miller was liberal in his fictionalisation. For example, the affair between farmer, husband, and father John Proctor, and the Minister’s teenage niece, Abigail Williams, drive many of the accusations of witchcraft in the play – in fact at the time of the Witch Trials, Williams would only have been around eleven and Proctor would have been in his sixties. The play, written in 1953, was in response to Senator McCarthy and the ‘House Un-American Activities Committee's’ crusade against supposed communist sympathisers, in which Miller became embroiled. When he testified in front of a congressional committee in 1956 he refused to reveal any names and so was held in contempt. The decision was overturned two years later. One of Miller's most powerful devices in the play is his use of irony: dramatic, verbal, and situational irony. Verbal irony is a figure of speech in which the speaker intends to be understood as meaning something that contrasts with the literal or usual meaning of what he says. One example of this is when John Proctor says ‘Good. Then her saintliness is done with’, mentioning Abigail. However, Proctor does not actually believe that Abigail is a saint. The affair makes her a sinner, because he is married to Elizabeth. However, he says this line because the rest of the town, and most importantly, the courts believe that she is believable and truthful. In effect, he tries to convince the court and the people of her â€Å"unsaintliness†, by bringing to their attention her sins, but to no avail; this is one of the most important circumstances which lead to his choosing to be executed. Another example has Proctor telling his wife ‘It’s winter in here yet.’ However, it is actually spring, as in the same dialogue he asks her to go walking in the field with him so that they may pick flowers and bring them into their home. Proctor really means to tell his wife that their home is cold, that there is no sign of love. He believes that when his wife fills the home with warmth and love, he is forgiven for his sin of lechery, and only then can he continue normally with his life. By using this type of irony, Miller’s characters indirectly bring something to our attention, which could not otherwise be done. Situational irony is a discrepancy between what we expect and what occurs. This is the second type of irony used in the play.

Developmental Psychology and Children Essay

1.1 An explanation of the legal status and principles of the relevant Early Years Framework and why the early years frameworks emphasise a personal and individual approach to learning development. The department of Education have issued a statutory Framework for Nursery settings, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage. The framework sets the legal requirements for the care of young children relating to Learning, Development and Welfare. The EYFS framework sets the UK standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to five. The curriculum is built around four principles: 1.A Unique Child 2.Positive Relationships 3.Enabling Environments 4.Learning and Development To give a basic understanding of the four principles, I will explain them below: A Unique Child You should focus on how children develop and recognise they are all different, but should be treated equally. Positive relationships and good communication are vital. Children need to learn about risks and safety, how to make good choices and how to stick to boundaries. Positive Relationships The theme is about children learning to manage their feelings and build relationships. You should respect all kinds of families and aim to develop a positive two-way relationship with parents. You will support, listen and work with the children to help them learn.Have a nominated key carer for each child to ensure they have the opportunity of building a close relationship and are well monitored during their time with you. Enabling Environments Plan and check on each child’s progress and make every attempt to involve parents and the local community. Ensure that inside and outside spaces of the nursery are safe, interesting and engaging. Learning and Development Focus on ensuring young children learn through play and exploration, with support for each individual. You should encourage children to develop imagination, to get actively involved in learning and to make decisions. Make every attempt to develop children’s creative and critical thinking, balancing the need for both the children and adults to lead the learning. Always work towards the following specific goals to help keep within the framework: †¢Personal, Social and Emotional Development, helping to build confidence, concentration, independence and respect. †¢Communication, Language and Literacy, developing speaking and listening skills and beginning to read and write. †¢Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy, focusing on number work, mathematical ideas and thinking. †¢Knowledge and Understanding of the World, helping children investigate and think about their place in the world. †¢Physical Development, relating to developing physical skills and understanding. †¢Creative Development, centred around building children’s imagination. †¢Welfare, ensuring we are all aware of our responsibility for children’s welfare. We will look after your child properly and help them to stay healthy. We also ensure the Red House is a safe and positive place for children

Accountability of Equipment Essay

The reason I am writing this essay is because leaving ones equipment laying around degrades the efficiency of the work environment. It binds up all the components that naturally flow causing more problems to arise that are normally not present. Typical the machine is free of problems but, is now faced with correcting the issue at hand rather than carrying on with its work. If even a single component is out of place the unit doesn’t function properly and the whole suffers. An old saying comes to mind that describes this situation and the point I’m trying to make perfectly. For want of a nail the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe the horse was lost. For want of a horse the rider was lost. For want of a rider the message was lost. For want of a message the battle was lost. For want of a battle the kingdom was lost. And all for the want of a horseshoe nail. I believe this point conveys the meaning of this paper quiet well. It demonstrates the issues that lacking a single component can have on the group as a whole. The three main points I am going to hit on in this paper are decreased individual readiness, overall unit readiness, and the individuals who benefit from my inability to maintain my equipment. See more:  Social Satire in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay When I say individual readiness I am talking about my efficiency as one to be able to do my required task weather in training or in a combat situation in this particular instant I lost accountability for my mitch  without it I am unable to perform basic task that are required by me. All training I can conduct is halted. There are few options that are available for me I can either continue without the proper head gear and what I am capable of doing is greatly reduced and the rest of the team and squad are left to fill in and are greatly weakened. All because one person felt they could be unaccountable for one piece of equipment. Even if the individually was able to borrow the equipment from another person that person is now left with a shortage and there capabilities are diminished. I doesn’t seem like the short fallings of one person would affect any one other than the individual in question but, anyone who counts on that person are left to cove for them putting undue stress on them. This show the importance of a single individual or a single piece of equipment can have dire effects on the whole of the unit. If everyone is incapable of pulling their own weight then they have no place in the group and are just dead weight but even with their absences they are causing undue strain to the whole. This is why individual readiness is important not only to the individual but to the unit as a whole. Without everyone maintaining their gear and themselves everyone hurts.

Free Essays on The Battle Of Leyte Gulf

The last great battleship engagement in history was the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October of 1944. By late 1944, it was starting to become obvious that desperate measures were needed to be taken to stop the onslaught of the United States Navy. The strength of the U.S. Navy had been growing at an alarming rate, and to make matters worse, nearly every time the Japanese navy had fought with the U.S. navy the Japanese took a terrible beating. The fall of the Philippines would be a terrible blow to the Japanese, but they had no way to prevent it. After the Battle of the Philippine Sea, Japan only had a handful of planes and even fewer pilots to fly them. Because of this, there carriers were totally useless, except if they were used as decoys. This was the basis of Japan’s brilliant plan. They would lure the powerful and dangerous Third Fleet under Admiral Nimitz away to chase the empty aircraft carriers. Then, they would ambush the slow and unarmored Seventh Fleet, under General MacArthur. Admiral Ozawa would steam down from the north with the â€Å"bait.† If the Third Fleet took the â€Å"bait,† the surface units of the Japanese Navy under Admiral Kurita would attempt to spring a deadly trap. A small force consisting of two battleships, a heavy cruiser, and four destroyers would sneak through the Surigao Strait, followed by three more cruisers and four destroyers sailing in from Japanese home waters. However the main force would sail from Brunei consisting of five battleships, twelve cruisers, and fifteen battleships. They would sneak through the San Bernardino Strait, loop around the island of Samar, and smash the Americans. The Japanese would fight a fleet that consisted of 151 LSTs (landing ships, tank), 58 transports, 221 LCTs (landing craft, tank) and 79 LCIs (landing craft, infantry), and hundreds of other vessels in five battles. The first stage of the Japanese Navy’s trap did not go so well. As they advanced up the Pal...

Free Essays on Family Ties

FAMILY TIES: THE BONDS BETWEEN LOVE AND FAMILY A Friend In Need The lifestyles developed by the four families in the video, FAMILY TIES – THE NATURE OF FAMILY, are as different as their home countries. The people from Kenya, India, Italy and the USA have adapted a certain way at looking at their situations and making the best with what they have, whether that is a polygamous lifestyle, an extended family a patrilocal life or a blended marriage. George, from Kisumu, Kenya has four wives. That may come off as strange or wrong in our western way of life, but it works for him and his family. George isn’t a bad husband or father. He built separate homes for his wives and is even working on homes for his children. The women don’t all like the polygamous lifestyle but apart from tradition, convenience may sometimes win over monogamy. For Monica, George’s fourth wife, that is just the case. She had three children from a previous relationship and couldn’t afford to look after them. She married George because she knew he could take care of the four of them and love her as well. All of his wives are all free to come and go as they please, but after spending so much time in a certain way of life, it becomes the norm. The oldest wife has the most problem with it, but the way of thinking is, that once a woman reaches a certain age, she is of little use to the mans sexual needs and so in turn he looks to other s to fulfill them. His wives and children farm the land that George owns and occupies. He then sells the goods they grow to make money to support them all. The women who farm the lands don’t actually make the money and now that more and more women in Kenya are going out and making money for themselves the polygamous lifestyle is slowly diminishing. They begin to make money for them selves and soon start demanding husbands for themselves. The family from Madras, India has a patrilocal family. The wife moved in to the hous... Free Essays on Family Ties Free Essays on Family Ties FAMILY TIES: THE BONDS BETWEEN LOVE AND FAMILY A Friend In Need The lifestyles developed by the four families in the video, FAMILY TIES – THE NATURE OF FAMILY, are as different as their home countries. The people from Kenya, India, Italy and the USA have adapted a certain way at looking at their situations and making the best with what they have, whether that is a polygamous lifestyle, an extended family a patrilocal life or a blended marriage. George, from Kisumu, Kenya has four wives. That may come off as strange or wrong in our western way of life, but it works for him and his family. George isn’t a bad husband or father. He built separate homes for his wives and is even working on homes for his children. The women don’t all like the polygamous lifestyle but apart from tradition, convenience may sometimes win over monogamy. For Monica, George’s fourth wife, that is just the case. She had three children from a previous relationship and couldn’t afford to look after them. She married George because she knew he could take care of the four of them and love her as well. All of his wives are all free to come and go as they please, but after spending so much time in a certain way of life, it becomes the norm. The oldest wife has the most problem with it, but the way of thinking is, that once a woman reaches a certain age, she is of little use to the mans sexual needs and so in turn he looks to other s to fulfill them. His wives and children farm the land that George owns and occupies. He then sells the goods they grow to make money to support them all. The women who farm the lands don’t actually make the money and now that more and more women in Kenya are going out and making money for themselves the polygamous lifestyle is slowly diminishing. They begin to make money for them selves and soon start demanding husbands for themselves. The family from Madras, India has a patrilocal family. The wife moved in to the hous...

Electroplating Definition and Uses

Electroplating Definition and Uses Electroplating is a process where a coating of metal is added to a conductor using electricity via a reduction reaction. Electroplating is also known simply as plating or as electrodeposition.When a current is applied to the conductor to be coated, metal ions in solution are reduced onto the electrode to form a thin layer. Brief History of Electroplating Italian chemist Luigi Valentino Brugnatelli is credited as the inventor of modern electrochemistry in 1805. Brugnatelli used the voltaic pile invented by Alessandro Volta to perform the first electrodeposition. However, Brugnatellis work was suppressed. Russian and British scientists independently invented deposition methods that came into use by 1839 to copper plate printing press plates. In 1840, George and Henry Elkington were awarded patents for electroplating. Englishman John Wright discovered potassium cyanide could be used as an electrolyte to electroplate gold and silver. By the 1850s, commercial processes for electroplating brass, nickel, zinc, and tin were developed. The first modern electroplating plant to start production was the Norddeutsche Affinerie in Hamburg in 1867. Uses of Electroplating Electroplating is used to coat a metal object with a layer of a different metal. The plated metal offers some benefit that the original metal lacks, such as corrosion resistance or desired color. Electroplating is used in jewelry making to coat base metals with precious metals to make them more attractive and valuable and sometimes more durable. Chromium plating is done on vehicle wheel rims, gas burners, and bath fixtures to confer corrosion resistance, enhancing the life expectancy of the parts.

Identifying of the Project Assumptions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Identifying of the Project Assumptions - Essay Example   All these assumptions are made after the initial assumption that installation of new ERP system is the solution to the increased customer base that is expected after ABC Corp took over sales and even distribution from an affiliated company In order for ABC Corp to succeed, it is critical that they formulate a plan that is clear, concise effective and efficient enough to manage the provider of the software, the provider of the IT services and even the subject matter experts. The formulation of the plan should also be followed by an execution schedule if it is to succeed at all. Success also depends on whether the company can be able to free enough subject matter experts from their daily work in order for them to provide their services in the installation of the new ERP system and also whether ABC Corp can be able to free enough space needed by the project team to work without any interruptions  whatsoever.

Examine the general differences between quantitative and qualitative Essay

Examine the general differences between quantitative and qualitative methodologies. What are the advantages when employing them in combination - Essay Example For instance, three professionals in research methodology offer that quantitative research seeks the â€Å"quantification of parameters such as number, size, connectivity, and the spatial arrangement of the different components of the structure under study† (Evans, Janson & Nyengaard, 2004: 87). In this definition, quantification essentially suggests a confirmation by utilising various research instruments designed to provide, in the broadest hope, irrefutable evidence that certain events related to the research topic can be correlated or proven to be accurate. Perhaps a more appropriate method to describe quantitative research is to recognise how various business and organisational researchers measure change over time. By adopting a longitudinal study, quantitative research methods can be utilised in a study programme which measures the impact of organisational change on various employees (the sample population). For instance, the utilisation of surveys or closed-ended questionnaires distributed to the appropriate sample group prior to the implementation of an organisational change initiative can measure pre-existing attitudes using a numerical or statistical approach to data analysis to determine whether a noticeable trend in employee behaviours exists. After the implementation of the change programme, similar survey instruments can be distributed to the same sample group to determine whether attitudes have changed over time. Thus, in this scenario, quantitative research provides a numerical representation for elements of human behaviour and avoiding issues of subjective analysis (which can be questioned by peer researchers) because the data returned is quite concrete. The measurement of outcomes associated with change are often important research areas in nearly all scientific disciplines (Duncan, 1999: 114). Thus, when attempting to link particular subject behaviours with elements of their general environment,

Performance management homework 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Performance management homework 1 - Essay Example To determine this rate, all the machining, assembly, and fabricating direct costs must be multiplied with the multiply of their sum total. This calculation will help in determining or estimating the overhead rates. Precision Joinery Co. Manufactures high-quality wooden products for the house-building sector, specializing in window-frames, doors and kitchen cabinets. For many years, the company’s costing system has relied on the assumption that direct labor hours were the critical factor in the occurrence of overheads. Accordingly, overheads were allocated to products on the basis of the direct labor hours taken to manufacture each product. The company’s relationship with its customers has changed in recent years. House-building companies have become more rigorous in their demands in terms of both product design and service support after delivery. The Managing Director of Precision Joinery Co. Has become increasingly disillusioned with the current product costing system, which he believes to be producing costs which do not reflect the change in the market environment initiated by the company’s customers. Under duress, the Management Accountant has carried out a further examination of available costing information, some of which the Managing Director considers useful in a possible redefinition of the costing system. The activity based costing or the ABC cost allocation often assigns the manufacturing overhead costs of the products in a highly logical way than the normal or the traditional approach that simply allocates costs on the basis of the machine hours (Armstrong and Baron, 2005; p. 85). The ABC initially assigns costs to activities that really lead to the overhead. After that, it assigns costs to activities or products that are actually demanding the activities. The overall result often maps the miscalculations on the true cost of the manufacturing overhead. Therefore, it is apparent that the ABC

Public Policy in the UK Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public Policy in the UK - Assignment Example Poverty was described as the economic state of â€Å"all the people without income from property or profession and therefore dependent on their manual labor for a living† (Cowherd. 1977; pp.1-2). These poor were distributed across the land and were not clustered together and therefore could not be organized.   The problems arose from rapid urbanization and clustering of demographic units around major industrial centers after the industrial revolution. This increased the visibility of the poor and their destitution, so poignantly documented in Dickensonian literary genre,   on one hand, and led to coalescing of poor into the extra-state organization like trade unions etc. on the other hand. Repression of organized poor during ‘the period between the French Revolution and the later 1820s should be of severe repression as reflected in Combination Acts and the use of Military Force to quell Luddites in 1812’ (Daunton. 1995). However this repressive regime was seen to be counterproductive and it can be seen that ‘from the mid-1830s   to 1850s the repression eased out and major advances for working-class organizations such as trade unions, cooperative societies and friendly societies’ emerged (Crafts.1997). This trend shows that Public Policy response had tacitly admitted the political legitimacy of the organized poor. This admission also meant that an appropriate response was to be given at the state level to demands of organized poor. This point on the historical space-time continuum can be termed as the beginning of welfare policy in the UK. Another dimension of change in the perception of policy makers relates to the impact of Laissez-fare economic policy. ‘By 1830s income and real wages increased and civil rights improved markedly but there was a perceptible decline in mortality conditions and heights, indicating a decline in living conditions of the poor’ (ibid). This presented a new policy paradox to the deci sion makers. The existing belief about the correlation between income increase and the general state of living was not materializing. The state needed to review its bystander status according to Laissez-fare non-intervention principles. The side-effects of Capitalism were becoming starkly observable.

Review, Evaluation & Analysis of a case study Essay

Review, Evaluation & Analysis of a case study - Essay Example However, Rosen (1998) emphasizes the importance of initial finance in ventures of small businesses. On the other hand, Santarelli& Vivarelli (2006) found a positive correlation between the choice of financing and the growth and survival of a venture. This paper explores the role of entrepreneurial finance in the entrepreneurial life cycle. According to Leach & Melicher (2003), the early phases of the entrepreneurship life cycle, the venture exhibits undercapitalization and in effect the entrepreneur must grab the different sources of capital. Mason (2007) discusses the role of informal sources of finances, which are often ignored in class room environment, but have significant role in the entrepreneurial life cycle. According to Preston (2007), angel investors are high net worth persons who inject funds in the early stage companies. Reminiscent of an American program, Shark Tank, that features high net worth individuals who are looking for investment opportunities in television. Kerr, Lerner & Schoar (2010) found out that angel investments improve entrepreneurial success. These opportunities for tapping capital at such early stages must occur as the venture progresses from startup through the survival stage. The major objective of the entrepreneurial finance is to assist the entrepreneurs through the life cycle of the venture to continually make better investment and financing decisions. The process covers the entire venture life cycle from startup to exit and inquires into issues such as deal structures, incentives, business models and valuation to a greater degree than normal equity management. Winton & Yerramilli (2008) in a comparison between bank and venture capital financing delved into the metrics of the choice between these two methods of financing a venture. According to N Berger & F Udell (1998), entrepreneurial finance plays an important role in small business as opposed to the large business. The small

Problem Intervention Outcome in Hospital Sphere Essay

Problem Intervention Outcome in Hospital Sphere - Essay Example As such the overall incidence of the HAI is relatively large and can become a significant cause of deaths if hospitals fail to actually implement effective hygiene controls within the hospitals. Hand washing is considered as the single most important prevention which can ensure that this infection is reduced and controlled. Frequent hand washing before and after making contacts with the patients is one of the critical steps which should be properly implemented in order to ensure that hospital-acquired infections are reduced. This change proposal will exactly provide a step by step change proposal to implement handwashing in healthcare workers. Through this change proposal, higher management will be pursued to implement this step by step plan in order to implement this change. Management will be requested to actually provide resources as well as the necessary support to implement the changes at the healthcare worker level to ensure reduction in infection. This plan will outline as to how the hospital can actually implement the process of frequently washing hands by the hospital staff in order to reduce the hospital-acquired infection. As discussed above, almost 2 million patients are affected by HAI and one of the single most important precautions which can be implemented in order to reduce the impact of the same. Healthcare workers do not put much effort and focus on frequently washing their hand before and after they come into contact with the patients and other things. Since hospitals have relatively higher risk of acquiring this infection due to different reasons therefore it is critically important that the healthcare workers must follow strict practice of washing their hands. Currently, though this practice is followed but is not implemented properly and many healthcare workers avoid washing their hands properly. This lackluster practice can increase the HAI in our hospital and hence  the overall mortality rates can be higher.  

Review, Evaluation & Analysis of a case study Essay

Review, Evaluation & Analysis of a case study - Essay Example However, Rosen (1998) emphasizes the importance of initial finance in ventures of small businesses. On the other hand, Santarelli& Vivarelli (2006) found a positive correlation between the choice of financing and the growth and survival of a venture. This paper explores the role of entrepreneurial finance in the entrepreneurial life cycle. According to Leach & Melicher (2003), the early phases of the entrepreneurship life cycle, the venture exhibits undercapitalization and in effect the entrepreneur must grab the different sources of capital. Mason (2007) discusses the role of informal sources of finances, which are often ignored in class room environment, but have significant role in the entrepreneurial life cycle. According to Preston (2007), angel investors are high net worth persons who inject funds in the early stage companies. Reminiscent of an American program, Shark Tank, that features high net worth individuals who are looking for investment opportunities in television. Kerr, Lerner & Schoar (2010) found out that angel investments improve entrepreneurial success. These opportunities for tapping capital at such early stages must occur as the venture progresses from startup through the survival stage. The major objective of the entrepreneurial finance is to assist the entrepreneurs through the life cycle of the venture to continually make better investment and financing decisions. The process covers the entire venture life cycle from startup to exit and inquires into issues such as deal structures, incentives, business models and valuation to a greater degree than normal equity management. Winton & Yerramilli (2008) in a comparison between bank and venture capital financing delved into the metrics of the choice between these two methods of financing a venture. According to N Berger & F Udell (1998), entrepreneurial finance plays an important role in small business as opposed to the large business. The small

Theories of Motivation, Emotion, and Arousal Essay Example for Free

Theories of Motivation, Emotion, and Arousal Essay Motivation speaks of the launching, direction, strength, and persistence of human behavior. (Geen, 1994) This means motivation maintains an important role in the normal functioning of all individuals.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Because of this, numerous theories have been developed to achieve a clearer understanding of the mechanisms of the human motivational system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the more traditional theories of motivation is the arousal theory. This theory sates that an individual is compelled to seek a certain level of arousal in order to continue to feel comfortable. In this theory, an individual’s specific goals and behavior is not as relevant as his or her drive to maintain a pre-set level of arousal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another theory of motivation is the attribution theory of motivation and emotion. This theory stresses the fact that individual’s are highly motivated by desirable outcomes which make them feel good about themselves. The theory is grounded on the assumption that a person interprets his or her environment in such a way that a positive self-image is maintained. Thus the amount of effort he or she exerts, the motivation, for a behavior is dependent on his or her attribution for the success or failure of that specific task.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The fact that the arousal theory views humans as organisms living simply on a homeostatic drive without thought to the cognitive and emotional capacities of man puts it in lesser standing. Also, it is only able to account for internal factors that contribute to behavior. The attribution theory, on the other hand, is an applicable theory even in the field of education where it is able to predict instances wherein a student will most likely persist at a certain academic task. Attribution theory allows for a more holistic view of the individual and his environment. It is a stronger theory as it holds much potential for expansion and furthering of its concepts and because it relates to many other established concepts of psychology. Stress : Impact and Management   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Stress in lay terms can be used to refer to emotions of anxiety, agitation, unease, tension, pressure, and a generally depressive state created by an individual’s interaction with the environment. In psychological terms, stress indicates a disagreeable emotional and physiological state of arousal as experienced in instances wherein an individual senses a danger or a threat to their well-being. The responses, which can be physiological, emotional, or behavioral in nature, to such situations can also be considered as stress.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Because of the fact that stress is a natural part of a human’s daily experience, much research has been conducted to study its effects and its management. The most common physiological response to stress is one triggered by the body’s Sympathetic Nervous System, the fight or flight response. This involves an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. The individual’s perspiration also increases. Also, hearing and vision become more attuned to the environment. Blood is directed away from the extremities and towards the body’s large muscles thus resulting in the sensation of coldness in the hands and feet. Chronic stress can result in experience of headaches and an increased susceptibility to colds. It can result in an increase in cortisol levels which weakens the immune system and leaves the individual more prone to health problems like diabetes, hyperthyroidism, heart disease, obesity and ulcers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The negative effects of stress on the body can be lessened with proper stress management. These often involve using relaxation techniques when experiencing stress such as Progressive Muscle Relaxation, meditation, and learning command of breathing and muscle tension. Being able to anticipate stressful events is also a means of management. Knowing one’s optimal stress levels and the stressors that cause intense reactions are adaptive prevention techniques that may serve more efficiently than established intervention techniques. Reference Geen, R. (1994). Human motivation: A psychological approach. New York:Wadsworth Publishing.

Red Ocean and Blue Ocean Approach

Red Ocean and Blue Ocean Approach Introduction â€Å"Blue Ocean Strategy† by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne is a strategy that challenges companies to distance itself away from fierce competition by establishing uncontested market space that makes existing competition irrelevant. One of the reasons why the authors have used the colours red and blue is to describe the market. Red ocean is the market space where industry boundaries are defined and known. The red ocean contains a massive conflict between companies where they are constantly trying to outperform each other to achieve a greater share or demand. Kim and Mauborgne explains in an interview that when market spaces become crowded with competitors, companies try out perform each other and profits and growth is greatly reduced due to cutthroat style competition which turns the red ocean bloody. In contrast, blue oceans is the unknown market space where it is unaffected by competition and demand is created rather than fought for. In blue oceans, competition is not relevant because the rules or barriers to the market space is not set yet and is often waiting to be set. The Authors uses the blue ocean analogy to describe the uncontested market space with no competitors and the opportunity to explore. The analogy of a blue ocean can be associated with profitability and growth being â€Å"vast†, â€Å"deep† and â€Å"powerful†. Traditional approaches to competitive strategies are highly influenced by Michael E. Porter. Kim and Mauborgne present to us in their book a fresh approach to make the competition irrelevant. In this paper I will discuss the differences between conventional red ocean strategies which are influenced by Porter and Kim and Mauborgnes blue ocean strategy. Furthermore, the paper will discuss the differences between the SWOT analysis and the four actions framework. Competing in existing market space versus Creating new market space The red ocean represents the existing market space where there is always a constant intensity of rivalry to fight for market share. To successfully operate in a red ocean, it is important for companies to conduct competitor analysis to allow them to stay updated on what their competitors are doing and what they are planning to do. Red ocean strategies represent approaches to protecting and stealing market share from competitors. According to DAveni, market share can be stolen by companies satisfying their competitors customers better. To compete in the existing market space, companies need to mould their services or products in line with the customers liking through refining existing products or creating new to the world products. However, the bloody cutthroat competition of the red ocean most often causes companies to develop similar or replications of products or services of the competitor that has done well. In the red ocean where competition is based on price and quality, being a first mover is an important advantage because by being flexible a company can adjust easily to external changes such as customer demands and trends. By being a first mover, the company gets benefits such as low costs and economies of scale. I think this is also the reason why the red ocean is so bloody because similar products and services have been refined and replicated over and over again with low cost, it has caused companies to be afraid to look into new options and therefore in a constant battle to fight for market share by cutting profit margins lower and lower. For the companies that succeed in gaining a competitive advantage by being a first mover, it is important for them to exploit the opportunity of that advantage as much as they can because very soon the competition will catch on to it. The tradition theory to competing in existing market space is focused on building your company through analysing competitors. In contrast, Blue Ocean refers to all the industries that are not in existent. In the opening chapter of the Blue Ocean Strategy book, Kim and Mauborgne suggest that the only way to beat the competition is to stop trying to beat the competition. This is a complete contrast to conventional red ocean strategies because instead of analysing competitors, and try out perform them, Blue Ocean Strategy encourage companies to differentiate or break away from the existing market space, hence making competition irrelevant. The authors suggest that there are many ways to create blue oceans. In few cases, companies can establish completely new industries. An example of this is what eBay did with online auctioning. Blue ocean strategy says a company can create a blue ocean market space by innovating a new product or service mainly focusing on new to the world services. However I believe developing new to the world services come with high risk and expenses but if done correctly can be very profita ble. Kim and Mauborgne argue that most companies tend to adapt to new trends rather than trying to shape new trends. What the authors mean by this is that companies make actions directed at keeping up with trends and dont look across time or look at the big picture. They argue that to create a untapped market space, companies need to find trends that are observable today and look at the big picture and see what happens to the value it will have in the future. A prime example of how a company successfully executed this strategy would be Apple. Apple studied and monitored the growing trend of music sharing over the internet during the last decade through software used illegally such as LimeWire and Kazaa. The trend of music sharing became clear to Apple and they took the opportunity and created the online iTunes music store in 2003 which distributed music legally. Red Ocean and Blue Ocean approach to industry boundaries Red ocean markets are large and the rate of product innovation is low. Therefore the market is usually heavily populated by competition and there are a set of rules that is known. In the hostile red ocean environment, companies strive to outperform each other in order to control market share and demand. As the market space gets crowded, growth and profits are greatly reduced and a price war is begun. Competition based strategies have been the main fundamentals of strategic thinking over the past decades and as a result, most companies benchmark themselves towards competition. In contrast, blue ocean strategy emphasises on finding and exploiting market space. The authors argue that companies must realise that in order to be successful long-term, they need to stop competing and benchmarking the competition. It is important for companies to view the competition from a broad perspective and consider industries that produce alternatives with the same functions and forms to satisfy the end customer. According to Kim and Mauborgne, most companies concentrate on improving the competitive position within a segment and focus on outperforming competition in the same segment. They argue that is it imperative to understand the actions of competitors in other segments not only the one your company is in. To be able to create a blue ocean environment, companies need to understand the factors that influence the customers decisions to change segments such as price and performance. Blue ocean strategy also focuses on looking across chain of buyers. By changing the industry tradition of which buyer group to target and looking across the chain of buyers, companies can get an insight on how to focus on overlooked groups of buyers. Kim and Mauborgne discuss the importance of considering the whole chain of buyers including purchasers, actual users and influencers. By focusing on all of these groups the company can break away form the competition and create a blue ocean environment and the competition would become irrelevant because the industry boundaries are waiting to be created. An example of an Australian organisation that has used this strategy is wine manufacturer Casella Wines. Casella Wines broke free from the boundaries of the domestic competition and moved towards the US market through implementing blue ocean strategy and targeting a segment which was not tainted yet which was the non-wine drinking population. Differentiation and Cost cutting The traditional red ocean view focuses on the importance of creating just one competitive advantage. Porter (1980) has developed recognised theories that describe the three types of competitive strategies as cost leadership, differentiation and focus. Porter emphasises the danger of a company being in the middle of the strategies and the importance of clearly selecting one strategy. If an organisation tries to operate with multiple strategies, it will supposably lose its competitive advantage and focus.

Robert E. Lee :: Essays Papers

Robert E. Lee For some the man Robert E. Lee is an almost god like figure. For others he is a paradox. Robert E. Lee was born on January 19, 1807 at Stratford, Virginia. Robert was the fourth child of a Revolutionary War hero Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee and Ann Hill Carter Lee. Young Robert, the son, was raised mostly by his mother. From her he learned patience, control, and discipline. As a young man he was exposed to Christianity and accepted its faith. In contrast to the strong example of his mother Robert saw his father go from failed enterprise to failed enterprise. In part the young Robert was led to try harder and succeed. Robert was accepted to the United States Military Academy and graduated 2nd in his class. But perhaps greater than his academic success was his record of no demerits while being a cadet which today has still not been equaled. Following his graduation Lee, like most top classmen, was given a commission as an engineer. Lt. Lee helped build the St. Louis waterfront and worked on coastal forts in Brunswick and Savannah. It was during this time he married Mary Custis the granddaughter of George Washington and Martha Custis Washington. In 1845 the War between U.S. and Mexico erupted. General Winfield Scott, overall U.S. Army commander, attached Captain Robert E. Lee to his staff. Lee was intrusted with the vital duties of mapping out the terrain ahead, dividing the line of advance for the U.S. troops, and in one case leading troops into battle. Lee was learning skills he would need 16 years later. There in Mexico Lee also met, worked with, and got a chance to evaluate many of those he would later serve with and against; James Longstreet, Thomas J. Jackson, George Pickett, and U.S. Grant. Following the Mexican War Lee returned to service as an army engineer. He spent most of this time near Washington D.C. and moved into Custis mansion (now overlooking the Arlington Cemetery). Thus was Colonel Lee was available for duty to put down a believed rebellion at Harper Ferry, Virginia the site of a United States Arsenal. Colonel Lee, and a young aide Lt. JEB Stuart, and a detachment of U.S. marines, were rushed by train to Harper's Ferry where they were able to capture radical abolitionist John Brown and his followers. Brown's attempt seemed

Affirmative Action Essay -- Race Racism

As a Christian, I believe in trying my hardest to empathize with those in suffering and oppression to the best of my all to human ability. If I am honest with myself and God, more often than not I fail. My experiences in History 313: Black American History, have left an indelible impact on me. One of the ongoing themes in our readings, lectures, videos and discussions has concerned Christianity and the Black American experience. Thus, I thought it fitting to write this paper looking at affirmative action through a Christian perspective. Looking at affirmative action’s original intent and ultimate goals from a Christian perspective is extremely fruitful because it allows honest discussion to take place without fear of partisan bias or special privilege for one race over another, which in turn makes it easier to talk about practical solutions. Before I say anything else, I would like to say three very important things. First, I am not African-American. Second, I believe all people are people. And third, I in no way, shape or form represent all Christian views on this topic. Speaking for all Christianity is beyond my ability no matter what the topic. My experiences are just like anyone else’s in that they are unique, but limited. Thus, I can only speak of being Christian personally in America. And even then, I cannot speak for all of American Christianity because I only know what it feels like to be an American Christian with German, Norwegian and Swedish blood running through my veins. However, if I employ empathy and compassion I can have at least some idea of the suffering that exists when it occurs to someone besides myself, especially since my own spiritual journey has been anything but smooth. And though ... ...re much to big to be fixed by a short essay. As mentioned before I am not African-American. Thus, I do not consider my thoughts authoritative on this subject. Still, I believe that people, regardless of the color of our skin, our willing to do as Jesus did and forgive one another for past transgressions and replace hostility with love for the sake of a brighter future. James Baldwin urged his readers to, â€Å"Cease fleeing from reality and begin to change it.† In that spirit I close with a quote from a speech given by Robert F. Kennedy on the night that Martin Luther King Jr. was tragically and unnecessarily shot and killed. Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world. Let us dedicate ourselves to that, and say a prayer for our country and for our people. Affirmative Action Essay -- Race Racism As a Christian, I believe in trying my hardest to empathize with those in suffering and oppression to the best of my all to human ability. If I am honest with myself and God, more often than not I fail. My experiences in History 313: Black American History, have left an indelible impact on me. One of the ongoing themes in our readings, lectures, videos and discussions has concerned Christianity and the Black American experience. Thus, I thought it fitting to write this paper looking at affirmative action through a Christian perspective. Looking at affirmative action’s original intent and ultimate goals from a Christian perspective is extremely fruitful because it allows honest discussion to take place without fear of partisan bias or special privilege for one race over another, which in turn makes it easier to talk about practical solutions. Before I say anything else, I would like to say three very important things. First, I am not African-American. Second, I believe all people are people. And third, I in no way, shape or form represent all Christian views on this topic. Speaking for all Christianity is beyond my ability no matter what the topic. My experiences are just like anyone else’s in that they are unique, but limited. Thus, I can only speak of being Christian personally in America. And even then, I cannot speak for all of American Christianity because I only know what it feels like to be an American Christian with German, Norwegian and Swedish blood running through my veins. However, if I employ empathy and compassion I can have at least some idea of the suffering that exists when it occurs to someone besides myself, especially since my own spiritual journey has been anything but smooth. And though ... ...re much to big to be fixed by a short essay. As mentioned before I am not African-American. Thus, I do not consider my thoughts authoritative on this subject. Still, I believe that people, regardless of the color of our skin, our willing to do as Jesus did and forgive one another for past transgressions and replace hostility with love for the sake of a brighter future. James Baldwin urged his readers to, â€Å"Cease fleeing from reality and begin to change it.† In that spirit I close with a quote from a speech given by Robert F. Kennedy on the night that Martin Luther King Jr. was tragically and unnecessarily shot and killed. Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world. Let us dedicate ourselves to that, and say a prayer for our country and for our people.

Insidious Film Review Essay

Insidious is terrifying in a completely different way than most horror movies. While the genre continues to creep toward exorcisms, thrill killers and the mentally deranged. It’s not out to scare viewers as much as it is to creep them out. The Lambert’s have just moved into a new house. Renai quit her job to focus on music and raise the kids, but the latter is proving to be more time-consuming than expected. There’s boxes to unpack, a baby who won’t stop crying and a husband who’s becoming increasingly distant. Josh assures her nothing’s wrong, but something feels off. She knows it. She just can’t put her finger on what. Unfortunately, that proof comes by way of a terrible accident. Oldest son Dalton goes exploring in the attic and lands on his head. Apart from a few bumps and bruises, he initially seems fine but fails to wake up the following morning. He’s rushed to the hospital where the puzzled doctors can’t figure out what’s wrong. He’s not in a coma. He just won’t wake up. Renai wakes up all the time. Anonymous eyes seem to be upon her. Something is inside the house. It’s sporadic at first, but after Dalton, still in his non-coma, is moved back home, the strange incidents start becoming more noticeable. Doors open in the middle of the night, alarms go off and there’s weird whisperings on the baby monitor. Tired, scared and fed up, the Lambert’s once again move to a new house, but their exodus only makes things worse. Bloody handprints are found on Dalton’s bed and faces appear in the windows almost nightly. After Josh’s mother witnesses a horrifying red-faced figure herself, she recommends the couple phone her old friend Elise. In preparation for her visit, Elise sends a two-man team of demon hunters to inspect the authenticity of the haunting claim. Scanning the ceilings for poisonous fumes to weed out the hallucinators and yelling at Josh for taking action figures out of their boxes, the Mutt and Jeff pair serve as a strange and wonderful precursor to their boss, who over-emphatically concludes there’s an epic problem at hand. Dalton is an astraltraveler. He leaves his body at night to voyage into the further, a sketchy realm where dead souls congregate, reliving horrors and coaxing the living into abandoning their Earthly bodies. There, he’s been taken prisoner by a devil-looking psychopath who climbs walls, listens to old wind-up music and wants to inhabit his body to embark on a murderous rampage. What makes the film work are the characters, the setting, the atmosphere and the really nice build-up of suspense and drama. Patrick Wilson is adequate as the troubled father and Rose Byrne is excellent as wife Renai. The film loses it’s edge in the second half as Wilson takes the helm, Byrne is the stronger of the two but is left with little to do or say and the weight of the film suffers as a result. The small cast works well and credit should go to Lin Shaye as the medium. Joseph Bishara’s music score is exceptionally creepy and the lighting, make-up of the ghostly faces is enough to give some nightmares. What works well is that while there are computer generated shots, they are well designed and hardly a distracting. All in all, Insidious is not for everyone, but I highly recommend you to check it out. In five years, if I’m flipping channels and see any twenty second excerpt from this film, I guarantee I won’t need the guide to tell me I’m watching Insidious. Not many movies can say that.

Business Financing and the Capital Structure Essay

The financial marketplace is the area where companies engaged in financial trading are able to get capital to run. The financial market can also be referred to as capital markets. Stock markets are the place where companies come to trade among themselves; they represent individual investors or corporate investors. Trade in stocks has been deemed among the most lucrative areas a person can trade in; the returns are good. Stocks can simply be defined as shares bought for trading purposes and profits gained are ploughed back into the U.S. economy. (Saccomani and Chambers, 2008) Trade in U.S. financial markets offer various benefits; an organization can get loans to fund their activities through floating of bonds. When organizations are able to run efficiently then everybody gets to benefit, the government benefits through increased tax collection and more people get employed. The stock market offer individuals an avenue to put their money in lucrative stock instruments where the funds are managed by financial experts. Individuals do not have to worry about their limited financial expertise because at the stock markets well informed brokers or their employees will help them. Individuals are offered a variety of trading avenues which involves minimal labor and less capital intensive. (Saccomani and Chambers, 2008) The Federal Reserve is a name that is used to define the Central Bank in America. The bank was a creation of U.S. Congress for purpose of offering a safer and easier trading environment in America. The Fed is tasked with the management of the American monetary policy. They also regulate banks as well as monitoring risks at the stock markets. The Fed is comprised of seven members; who constitute the board of governors. Members of the board also constitute the F.O.M.C. (Federal Open Markets Committee); this committee decides on what interest rates to be charged by banks as well as purchase of treasuries. The Fed`s primary role is that of regulation. (Ltaifa et al, 2009) The Fed chairman`s role is that of a supervisor; he is tasked with the role of bringing the board to consensus of various monetary issues. The chairman is a presidential appointee hence he reports to the president from time to time on the country`s financial matters. The chairman also has the responsibility of steering the committee on interest rates. (Ltaifa et al, 2009) Departments or components of the Fed Reserve need to play their respective roles effectively so as to take the country in to financial success. The chairman should always maintain a steady control of all fiscal policies. The board should not enact self-centered policies that may endanger the banking sector or stock markets. The board and the chairman have to make prudent assessments of U.S. financial performance before taking any steps meant at changing any monetary policy. Interest rates affect the economy; particularly the spending power of individuals. The rates charged on bank loans lays a heavy burden on citizens; the net effect is loans become expensive hence doing business becomes harder. Higher interest rates on returns at the stock markets offer a reversed effect to the citizen; this brings about more disposable income because the return on investment is higher. (Batten and Szilagvi, 2011) The world suffers when markets get affected by whatever elements; this happens because the various economies around the world are interconnected hence any financial downfall of one will weaken the other. The Euro zone crisis is one such example where a problem begins in one country but after sometime affects a number of countries within same geographical location; countries that trade together. In the U.S. such a crisis occurred between 2007-2010, individuals found themselves not being able to finance their loans and other credit obligations. Care and keenness is needed when one wishes to traverse this terrain. References Saccomanni, F., & Chambers, A. (2008).  Managing international financial instability: National tamers versus global tigers. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. Ltaifa, Navil Ben, Kaendera, Stella, & Dixit, S. V. S. (2009).  Impact of the Global Financial Crisis on Exchange Rates and Policies in Sub-saharan Africa. Intl Monetary Fund. Batten, J., & Szilagyi, P. G. (2011).  The impact of the global financial crisis on emerging financial markets. Bingley, U.K: Emerald. Source document

A Working Community – Ellen Goodman

Goodman quotes from her dictionary that geographically a community is defined as a â€Å"body of people who live in one place† and that in the past we â€Å"were members of precincts or parishes or school districts.†Perhaps if people in the past were asked what â€Å"a community† was to them, this would be the definition they would give. Over the years however, people have been increasingly spending more time in their place of employment rather than in their home.Goodman points out that in today’s societies many of us only use the community in which we live – our home – in order to sleep. Communities are becoming more a group of people who get to know each other and interact regularly. They gather around a concept or common goal or interest. Rather than belonging to a community in which we live, we increasingly create â€Å"a sense of belonging† in the workplace – within the community in which we find ourselves most of the time. 2.   Goodman also points out that not only has our â€Å"sense of community †¦ moved from office house to office building† but that â€Å"the labels we wear connect us with the members† and that â€Å"we assume we have something in common† with them. In modern society this notion of assigning labels to oneself and others is becoming more evident.People do this because they want to feel a sense of belonging, a sense that they have things in common with others. A problem not mentioned in Goodman’s article however, is that not only do we assign labels in the workplace, but we tend to describe most people by assigning labels. These labels most often contain assumptions, which in turn become stereotypes3. According to Goodman, in the same way that we have â€Å"replaced our neighborhoods with the workplace,† we have replaced our â€Å"ethnic identity with professional identity.†She goes on to state that the most obvious â€Å"realignment of community† is in the â€Å"mobile professions.† In today’s society many professionals are required to move from city to city in order to fulfill their work. They are able to â€Å"put roots down in their profession† rather than in their place of residence (residential community). This intensifies the shift from home communities to workplace communities and the sense of identifying oneself in terms of profession rather than self.4. Goodman begins her article by providing a few scenarios of people she knows and how they belong to different communities. Most readers would be able to associate with somebody or some community, so by doing this she is setting the scene for her readers; she is appealing to their sense of belonging from the onset and involving them emotionally from the beginning.In fact, she continues to do this throughout the article, especially by using the first person plural pronoun â€Å"we†. She does however, attempt to rationally appeal to her readers by presenting many scenarios and examples to support her arguments but she provides no real facts or figures in support.Her examples need to be extended to give real examples rather than continually referring to issues in general terms. She makes reference to researchers asking Americans what they like best about work but again only in general terms; she doesn’t provide any real evidence of what Americans say.Ethically, she appears to be knowledgeable and reasonable and she certainly tries to establish common ground with her readers but she falls short in not providing any consideration of opposing views.5.   â€Å"Bi-cultural collision† as discussed by Nhu in â€Å"Becoming American in a Constant Cultural Collision† is similar to a â€Å"loss of community,† in that they both refer to a movement of people – a realignment from one â€Å"sense of belonging† to another.

Strategic Analysis & Planning Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic Analysis & Planning - Coursework Example With such widespread popularity, it would appear that Microsoft made a lucrative and rational decision to acquire Minecraft in order to secure a more profitable strategic position in the international gaming market. However, the acquisition of Minecraft was an all-cash agreement that cost Microsoft $2.5 billion, which is a substantial financial risk in terms of expenditures for the acquisition in an environment where Mojang, Minecraft’s original developing company, only earned $326 million in revenues in 2013 (Stuart and Hern 2014). With the assumption that Minecraft manages the same revenue-producing capabilities year-on-year, it would theoretically take Microsoft 6.1 years to recover the just the cost of the acquisition of Mojang. This report conducts a strategic analysis of this acquisition in order to determine whether this was a shrewd business decision and whether the $2.5 billion acquisition can effectively serve the strategic objectives of Microsoft. It should be recognised that there is not a specific strategic business unit at Microsoft that is being evaluated as in 2013 the firm restructured the organisation in an effort to consolidate global business operations. The firm desired to unify the company and believed that this reorganization and consolidation would contribute to greater control and innovation production as a result of incorporating established SBUs (Ludwig 2013). Hence, strategic analysis will consider Microsoft as a newly-combined firm that now has inter-dependencies controlled centrally in areas of production, development, marketing and strategy. Michael Porter (1987) introduced his Five Forces model which describes the potential competitive forces that pose risk to a competing business, a framework for projecting future competitive activity and potential for profitability over an extended period of time. Figure 1 illustrates Porter’s

Defining Leadership and Providing a Brief Overview of Leadership Essay

Defining Leadership and Providing a Brief Overview of Leadership Theories - Essay Example Thus, a leader may also be described as a person with the authority and/or the position within an organization capable of influencing the people around them and making decisions that people around them are willing to follow. There are 5 different types of leadership styles2 namely Directive (Authoritative), Delegative (Free Reign), Participative (Democratic), Consultative and Negotiative. Directive (Authoritative) Leaders are characterized as individuals who instruct their employees on the ways to perform a task without allowing them much leeway to give their own thoughts or display independence. The leader exercises firm authority over his employees and makes sure that they follow his rules and guidelines in performing a task. Delegative (Free Reign) Leaders, segregates and hands out the tasks to their employees and allows them to make decisions and decide on how a task should be performed. However, as the leader will still be held accountable for the decisions made and the fact tha t this style is not entirely democratic, situations may arise whereby employees may be assigned work rather than being allowed to participate actively on how a task should be done or completed. ... They often motivate their employees with incentives or words of encouragement to push them in the same direction as the rest of the team. 2.0 Case Study Analysis 2.0.1 Leadership at Swatch In my opinion, the leadership paradigm displayed at Swatch is that of the Consultative style. Although the leadership lies on both Hayek Senior and Nicolas Hayek Junior to drive the organization forward, they allow their employees to contribute and participate in brainstorming for new ideas and allows for new project teams to come up with ideas. Leadership seems widely distributed across the Swatch Group with only a small number of positions existing to ‘head’ different sections. The Group does not believe in bureaucracy and has very little formal hierarchy. The employees are given the discretion to develop ideas and lead project teams in their own areas. There is room for growth and independence for the employees working with Swatch. Based on the case study, it would seem that the org anization is quite dependent on the energy and influence of the Hayeks as both senior and junior Hayeks are very involved in the business. They are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide ‘hands on’ assistance to various levels of needs in the Group. Although leadership seems widely distributed across the divisions at Swatch, it is mentioned that if the Hayeks dislike a product or idea, the company’s morale is said to decline but morale is notably high if the Hayeks are behind an idea. That clearly shows how important the Hayeks are in the organization. In terms of securing the future leadership of the organization, Hayek Senior has placed members of his family in significant positions within Group to ensure the longevity and growth

Emotion and moods in organization behaviour Essay

Emotion and moods in organization behaviour - Essay Example Emotions have been proven to be a significant contributor to our daily mental life influencing the eminence of our being. Researcher and psychologists have pointed out that, emotions make life worth living to people by being making them be receptive to certain environmental stimulus (Giovann, Petrella, Blasi, Zontini, & Nolfe, 66). Emotions help as do determine what people whom we interact with feel towards us. People know how their partners feel about them by looking at their facial expression. Tonal voice is also a key determinant which helps to evaluate a human’s true feelings (Charmine, Neal, Ashkanasy & Zerbe, 46). There are two main categories of emotions. They include the complex and simple emotions. These two categories are further subdivided into positive and negative emotions. Common emotions which are normally depicted by human beings include anger love, hatred, depression, and joy and happiness etcetera. Mood Mood is an expression of emotion which is perceived to b e long lasting state. Moods can take a longer duration of time to last taking even up to a couple of days. As compared to simple emotions, moods are less intensive. Literary, when someone is in a negative emotional condition, the person is said to be in a bad mood. On the other hand, positive emotions induce good moods (Ashkanasy, Neal & Cary, 24). Sources of emotions and moods A variety of studies have been conducted to identify sources of particular emotions evoked to an individual. Positive incidents are bound to have an effect on positive mood and emotions which are positive as well. Conversely, negative occurrences influence the negative moods for those who have emotional imbalance. To make an illustration, let us consider two employees who work in a particular organization Ashkanasy, Neal & Cary, 26). Employee A has a high level of emotional stability while his counterpart B scores low. One day, both the employees are notice that there is a bonus to be granted for each of thei r sale. Soon after, their boss passes by and scolds them for no obvious reason. In this circumstance, it would be expected for the one who is mentally stable to remain solid because he focuses only on then news with helps him achieve maximum happiness Ashkanasy, Neal & Cary, 24). The news with negatively affect employee B due to his emotional disadvantage of emotional instability hence he will get demoralized that faithful day. It has been noted that some people’s emotions depends on the time of the day and day of the week. Weekdays are known to the working days where most people are busy running various errands. Nevertheless weekends are special days of the week where individual getting to relax and take a rest from their busy weekday schedule. This means that you will find a majority of people in their best mood during weekends Ashkanasy, Neal & Cary, 27). Monday is a week day that you will find a bigger section of the populace in their worst mood due to Monday blues. Early in the morning, it is expected to find many individuals lowly spirited. Our moods revive in the course of the day and a projected decrease during the evening hours. What time people go to sleep at night or what time they wake up necessary impact the level of positive implication Positive influence peaks up in the midst of when one wakes up and when one goes to bed? At work place, how well we interact is depicted in midmorning and later in the week. A couple of people

To kill a mockingbird Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

To kill a mockingbird - Essay Example Whether well-meaning or ill intentioned the town’s journey spanning three years reveals both optimistic and pessimistic sides of human behavior, and teaches that you must look within yourself – not to your neighbors - to decide what is right and wrong. Set in the Bible belt southern state of Alabama in the 1930’s, To Kill a Mockingbird focuses on the town of Maycomb and the racial tension of a lawyer defending a black man accused of raping a white woman. Though everyone knows the black man, Tom Robinson, is innocent, times have not progressed sufficiently that a white woman would be proven to be a liar over the word of a black man. Several townspeople know that this thinking is wrong, but only one white person openly flaunts his beliefs that blacks should be treated no different than white folks. This man is Mr. Dolphus Raymond. Scorned by whites for living with a black woman and producing mixed children, Mr. Raymond doesn’t have an easy time of it with the black population, either. He is, however, one of the few people who live what they believe in and try to set an example for others who might change the ways of the future. Despite his preference for the company of Negroes, Mr. Raymond is respectful of the inabilit y of the white people to comprehend his way of life and therefore pretends to be a drunk. As he explains to Jem, Dill and Scout one day when they discover his secret, â€Å"It helps folks if they can latch onto a reason. When I come to town†¦ folks can cay Dolphus Raymond’s in the clutches of whiskey – that’s why he won’t change his ways† (p. 204). It is a unspoken (and mostly unknown) compromise that allows the town folk to pity him instead of hating him. Another contribution to the story is that of ignorance and how it can be used to shame others or to learn to â€Å"put yourself in their shoes† as Atticus suggests several times throughout the novel. One example of this ignorance is the plight of Miss Caroline

A Critical Discussion on the Issue of Gay Marriage Essay

A Critical Discussion on the Issue of Gay Marriage - Essay Example For the purpose of arguments, the term traditional marriage will represent a marriage between consenting adults of opposite genders, and the term gay marriage will relate to male/male, female/female as well as transgender marriage. One could argue that the majority of arguments against gay marriage are moralistic in nature. The first such example is those gay relationships and by extension gay marriage are forbidden by most religious texts. By contrast, traditional marriages are held up as the preferred model using religious texts. According to Eckholm (2011), it was identified that homosexuality in regards to the Christian faith was not in accordance with God's law on sexual morality. Some people who oppose gay marriage would do so because they differentiate between religious and civil unions. As such, some people only recognize religious unions and in specific terms oppose the idea of the state overseeing and approving marriages. As gay relationships are forbidden in religious text s then gay marriage would represent a sort of sacrilege and people who adhere to a religious lifestyle may oppose gay marriages for this reason. ... From this perspective, it could also be argued that gay marriages represent a sort of slippery slope that will ultimately lead to the destruction of traditional marriages and by extension the collapse of 'traditional' society. The reasoning behind this argument is that in the eyes of some people who oppose gay marriage, the very institution of traditional marriage is for couples to raise children in a wholesome family-oriented environment, and these children go on to live productive lives and raise children of their own (Presumably also in a wholesome family environment). As is the case that gay couples cannot conceive children on their own, then gay marriage will be built on a foundation that is not considered traditional. As such some people who oppose gay marriage would do so as a means of preserving traditional societal norms.  

Quantitative risk assessment Essay Example for Free

Quantitative risk assessment Essay Monte-Carlo simulation is carried out using a large number of computations, using a computer, with random inputs. This method is particularly useful when it comes to â€Å"predicting† the outcome a complex eventuality. Typically, the Monte-Carlo simulation is useful when predicting the outcome of a large number inter-related factors that are â€Å"uncertain†. Predictivity using Monte-Carlo simulation is far more accurate where variables under consideration are many, uncertain and random. For this particular reason, using Monte-Carlo simulation for this study is the best choice as there are many uncertain factors that need to be analyzed for computing a risk assessment. In this study, the first step begins with the production of meat and ends with health effects that meat can probably induce in consuming subjects. There is a large interplay of uncertain factors, and the entire food chain model proposed in the study has inherent variability across most levels. 2. What comment would you make about the source of data used for the concentration of E. coli in cattle feces? Prevalence and concentration of E. Coli in cattle fecal matter was used to assess the level of contamination of the meat. The level of contamination of the meat is a pointer to the probable exposure that a consuming subject could possibly have, to E. Coli. Concentration of E. Coli in cattle fecal matter is directly related to factors like seasonality, geographical properties, and feeding practices. However, the data related to concentration of E. Coli in the cattle fecal matter was constructed without consideration for these factors. Data used for concentration of E. Coli in fecal matter was obtained using enrichment methods. The results show a wide bipolar variation, from as low as undetectable E. Coli levels to as much as 5. 0 log10 CFU/g. The data for prevalence of E. Coli in cattle fecal matter was obtained from previously held studies. However, only data from those studies was used, that primarily aimed at detecting E. Coli prevalence rates in cattle fecal matter for beef that was supposedly slated for human consumption. 3. What comment would you make about the following: †¢ modeling the distribution of feces on carcass as Uniform? Slaughtering invariably causes the fecal matter to come in contact with the meat. Skinning a carcass will lead to contamination of exposed meat due to contact with the hide. Although, fecal matter is the main source of bacterial reservoir, the nature and number of agents that can directly or indirectly participate as contaminating agents is uncertain. However, the concentration of E. Coli in fecal matter is directly proportional to the extent of meat contamination. The distribution of fecal matter on carcass surface is uneven. A dilution factor was used as a model simplification. †¢ modeling fecal contamination only on the carcass surface? As a fact, E. Coli are present in the fecal matter but not inside red meat. Contamination of red meat, therefore, occurs only when fecal matter comes in contact with it. This will usually happen during slaughtering, and the following processes like packaging and trimming. For this reason fecal contamination has been modeled only on the carcass surface. 4. Briefly (less than 500 words), discuss the practicalities and likely success of implementing each of the proposed hypothetical mitigation strategies in the paper. The author has proposed three hypothetical risk mitigation strategies for risk reduction. However, the strategies have been proposed to reduce risk as per mentioned figures, assuming that the strategy is being implemented and the desired goal is being achieved. For instance, the first strategy of regulating storage temperature control norms shows a reduced risk to over 80%. Practically, this strategy can indeed cause a large risk reduction but a protocol will need to be developed that incorporates all the levels of the proposed beef-cold-chain, starting right from the farm to the retailer. Even with a concrete legislature to make sure this strategy works, it needs to be evaluated how far would this strategy prove to be practically enforceable. With definite legislature, a good compliance can be expected out of this strategy and apparently this strategy is far more practicable, and could prove successful. Pre-slaughter screening proposes to reduce risk by over 46%. However, more variables like feeding practices, geographical locations, and seasonal variation (that affect E. Coli fecal load) need to considered, before a definite â€Å"control† level can be instated to rule out slaughters for animals that have more than a certain level of bacterial fecal concentration. The consumer information program, although with a risk reduction of 16%, is certainly a very important level wherein proper intervention can dramatically decrease E. Coli related health morbidity. Even though anticipated risk reduction is only 16%, simple measures like adequate promotional tools, could significantly increase risk reduction through mass communication; the biggest limitation however, is that compliance in this case cannot be ascertained, nor enforceable. Keeping in mind the practical limitations of each of these strategies, a prudent approach would involve application of all the three strategies in conjunct, to ensure greater risk reduction. A good reason for this approach is that due to the uncertain nature of all the factors involved in E. Coli contamination and delivery to consuming host, it appears quite difficult to determine the individual potency of each of these factors, and they would easily remain relative values. ‘Evaluation of MRSA Select, a new chromogenic medium for the detection of nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus’ 1. What is the ‘gold standard’ used to assess the sensitivity and specificity etc. of the different diagnostic tests? The sensitivity and specificity of a particular diagnostic test needs to be estimated before the test under consideration can be employed for practical purposes, to ensure that the results obtained are accurate, and of consequence. A â€Å"gold standard†, hence, is an absolute, against which results from a particular diagnostic test are compared. The gold standard, also called as the standard frame of reference, is a perfect test for the given condition, and is 100% sensitive and specific as well. 2. Is the ‘gold standard’ the same for all of the tests? Within the context of this paper, the gold standard used is same for all the tests. The gold standard used is identification of methicillin resistant S. Aureus, from nasal swabs of patients, confirmed for the mecA gene using PCR. 3. Can the tests be compared in this way? Yes, the tests can be compared this way. The same samples (n) were subjected to different growth mediums, to ascertain the presence of MRSA. All these media were specifically designed to promote the growth of MRSA. Hence, depending on the growths shown by these different media, results can be drawn and compared. 4. Are the authors’ conclusions valid? I think that the author’s conclusions are valid. Although, PCR will remain the gold standard in ascertaining presence of MRSA, the application of this procedure, to remain practically enforceable, is quite limiting. For instance, considering the sheer number of samples that an urban community hospital has to handle on a daily basis, using PCR for all instances may not be feasible all the times. In this circumstance, using simple tissue culture techniques would definitely prove to be more desirable, especially with faster results and low costs; like using the MRSA Select that will give results within 24 hours with a sensitivity and specificity over 99%. Moreover, simplicity of the test requires no complex skill set, especially compared with handling PCR techniques. References 1. Fishman, G. S. (1995). Monte Carlo: Concepts, Algorithms, and Applications. New York: Springer 2. Bell, B. P. , Goldoft, M. , Griffin, P. M. , Davis, M. S. , Gordon, D. C. , Tarr, P. I. , Bartleson, C. A. , Lewis, J. H. , Barret, T. J. , Wells, J. G. , Baron, R. , Kobayashi, J. , (1994). A multistate outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7-associated bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome from hamburgers: the Washington experience. J. Am. Med. Assoc. 3. Vose, D. , (1996). Quantitative risk analysis: A guide to Monte Carlo simulation modelling. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester England. 4. USDA:APHIS:VS. , 1994a. E. coliO157:H7 issues and ramifications. Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Fort Collins, CO. 5. Gehlbach SH. (1993) Interpretation: sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value. In: Gehlbach SH, ed. Interpreting the medical literature. New York: McGraw-Hill 6. Apfalter P, Assadian O, Kalczyk A, et al. (2002) Performance of a new chromogenic oxacillin resistance screen medium (Oxoid) in the detection and presumptive identification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis;44:209–11. 7. Murakami K, Minamide W, Wada K, Nakamura E, Teraoka, H, Watanabe S. (1991) Identification of methicillin-resistant strains of staphylococci by polymerase chain reaction. J Clin Microbiol;29:2240–4. 8. Safdar N, Narans L, Gordon B, Maki DG. (2003) Comparison of culture screening methods for detection of nasal carriage of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus: a prospective study comparing 32 methods. J Clin Microbiol;41:3163–6.