An Annotated Bibliography On Household Wealth Essay

Creative Title: An Annotated Bibliography Xie, Yu, and Yongai Jin. Household Wealth in China. Chinese Sociological Review 47.3 (2015): 203-229. Academic Search Complete. Web. 27 Oct. 2015. Xie and Jin examine the level, distribution, and composition of household wealth in contemporary China. The study reveals that the richest one percent of the population owns over one third of the total national household wealth, while the poorest twenty five percent owned less than two percent in 2012. Housing assets in China show to be the largest component of household wealth, comprising seventy percent. The study also discusses how regional disparities and the urban-rural divide play significant roles in the household wealth distribution, wealth growth rate, and wealth mobility. I plan to use this study as informational background and a look into the state of affairs regarding Chinese society and the wealth disparity that is present. Gan, Li, et al. Reducing Inequality: Taking From The Top To Distribute At The Bottom. China Perspectives 2013.3 (2013): 80-82. Academic Search Complete. Web. 29 Oct. 2015. Gan et al. examine the true scope and detail of the income disparity present in contemporary Chinese society. This work examines the introduction of government measures, the criticisms and inadequacies of these supposed measures, other potential solutions that have been proposed, as well as whether or not the Chinese government has the true ability and willingness to carry out the newShow MoreRelatedHow Do Government Deficits And Debt Affect U.s. Economic Welfare?1023 Words   |  5 PagesAnnotated Bibliography The research question evaluated in this annotated bibliography is â€Å"How do government deficits and debt affect U.S. economic welfare?† The research question addressed by this article is how do deficit and debt effect interest rates? 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God blessed Solomon with this wisdom, riches, and honor mainly to bring about a new way for the kings of Israel. Solomon not asking for wealth and power pleased God making him willing to grant him with those two extra gifts. Solomon received wisdom, luxury, and pleasure but according to Lansine, The Solomon of kings has knowledge; he doesnt achieve it. He is given wisdom; he is not givenRead MoreTo What Extent Did Roosevelts New Deal Programs Aid the End of the Great Depression in the United States?1744 Words   |  7 Pagesan important signpost along the American way to welfare. This creation under the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act supposedly helped preserve workers precious self-respect, conserve[d] skills, and utilize[d] vast resources for the creation of wealth. Although on statistics the Second World War completely pull United States out of the Depression, the New Deal program shortened the magnitude. GNP rose due the massive spending and reduced unemployment rate. However, the actual qualityRead MoreSoaring Poverty Casts Spotlight on Lost Decade2228 Words   |  9 Pagesthe economy of China (Haughton, 2000) Inequality and growing income disparity is an unwanted by product of globalization. The American society although considered civilized and well managed is also facing the issues like inadequate distribution of wealth. The reason why the writer associates the income inequality in America with globalization is mainly because of the outsourcing of cheap labor from developing countries. As the matter of stated reality the middle level jobs of America are being offshoreRead MoreAn Analysis Of Oscar Wilde S The Importance Of Being Honest1833 Words   |  8 Pagesvery subject: â€Å"Algernon: Why is it that at a bachelor’s establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne? I ask merely for information. Lane: I attribute it to the superior quality of the wine, sir. I have often observed that in married households the champagne is rarely of a first-rate brand. Algernon: Good heavens! Is marriage so demoralizing as that? Lane: I believe it is a very pleasant state, sir. I have had very little experience of it myself up to the present. I have only been marriedRead MoreEssay about Black Athletes in Society2262 Words   |  10 Pagesappealing to some players. Those with a wealthy, or even upper-middle class upbringing may not view material assets as a priority. In the Black community, we have theorized that money and success play a more important role than education in most households. Although these two seem to go together, one resulting from the other, this does not apply in the sports world. Our research will examine the role that the family value system plays in influencing Black vs. White male athletes to turn professionalRead MoreEssay about An Annotated Critical Bibliography of the Great Gatsby2776 Words   |  12 PagesAn Annotated Critical Bibliography of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gastby Pauly, Thomas H. Gatsby as Gangster. Studies in American Fiction, vol. 21 no. 2, 1993. Thomas H. Pauly, after an evidently thorough examination of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, is convinced that Jay Gatsby, the mysterious figure upon whom the novel fixates, is a sinister character and a mastermind regarding illegal activities. Despite Gatsby’s charming attitude and contrary claims, Pauly believes thatRead MoreAnalysis of the Opening Theme of Desperate Housewives5479 Words   |  22 Pages Aged Woman 14 4 Conclusion 16 5 Appendix 5.1 Bibliography 17 5.2 Images 18 1 IntroductionRead MoreA Dolls House Research Paper3448 Words   |  14 Pagesaffected but not in the sense where people cannot get over the idea that a woman could do something so exaggeratingly catastrophic. Noras husband, Torvald, portrays a very masculine provider of wealth and a typical man of that time period. Calling all the shots, running the household, and bringing in more than enough money are his main priorities. â€Å"Poor Torvald, likewise, though ‘handsomely bound’, is himself small. He is another pillar of society, that quakes and topples at the first

The Influence of Technology on Politics Free Essays

The Influence of Technology on Politics Can, and will, the next generation of politicians exploit the communication mediums available to them? Will the new communication mediums have the power to influence public opinion? Will politicians be the victims of technology, or will they use it to their benefit? Will one party benefit from the use of the technology more than another? All reasonable questions, considering the role technology plays in today’s society. The staggering distribution numbers, through channels like iTunes, YouTube, or podcasting websites, indicate that technology could play a critical role in the upcoming elections. Technology could be the deciding factor in the 2008 US Presidential race, and while distribution has never before been as accessible as it is to today’s politicians and political candidates, politicians have far less control over the news and media than their counterparts in previous years. We will write a custom essay sample on The Influence of Technology on Politics or any similar topic only for you Order Now The curious need not look any further than YouTube to find the latest political constituents being haunted by their own words and dogged by their past missteps. Today’s politicians have far less control of the news media and messages associated with their candidacy. The Internet and technology is positioned to play a huge role in elections. Whether that truly occurs remains to be seen. What Will Technology Affect? Fundraising Raising revenue for a political campaign is one of the biggest hurdles the candidates have to overcome in order to make a successful political run. We saw this when Howard Dean initially soared to fame as the result of grass roots Internet donations filling his coffers. Yet technology was also Dean’s downfall, as the result of the â€Å"Dean Scream† video getting excessive play time on the Internet and other broadcast media outlets. The recorded spectacle is said to be what led voters to abandon this overzealous candidate. The Power Of Political Pundits With podcasting, everyone is a journalist, regardless of their credentials or credibility. Technology has given self-proclaimed political pundits a pulpit from which they can spread their message. How much these political pundits will be able to influence political campaigns and election results is still unclear. Never Say Never Political videos of nearly every 2008 presidential candidate can be found on YouTube. In many of the posted videos, candidates are engaged in old speeches, contradicting their current political positions. Politicians have yet to learn that their words may come back to haunt them, and it appears that many politicians have ghosts from years past that can be found in the YouTube video library. Older political videos are causing problems for candidates whose positions have changed over the course of their careers. The accessibility of the audio and video clips, and wide media distribution, is breeding distrust amongst voters who support candidates who have had a change of heart. Pushing A Cause To The Forefront Evident in the hit movies â€Å"Fahrenheit 9/11† by liberal filmmaker Michael Moore, and â€Å"An Inconvenient Truth† by environmental evangelist Al Gore, these films not only brought in millions of dollars in revenues, but both movies also received Hollywood accolades and raised attention for the issues featured. Technology appeals to a specific demographic: the affluent, the educated, and the young. And while a YouTube video may not sway the Grandparents in the crowd, the youngest voters are listening. Does technology have the power to change the face of politics? The youth in America are not currently an active voting block, but that younger generation will age, and it’s only a matter of time before technology plays a critical role in elections. How to cite The Influence of Technology on Politics, Essay examples

The person that inspires me the most free essay sample

I consider myself lucky to have someone that determined and diligent in my life. Someone so goal-oriented that it would discourage anyone that would try to thwart his or her plans. She has always been a beacon of resilience in my life and I am eternally grateful for that. She is my care-giver and my rock. This woman has made me value the concept of reality and the world for what it is. My mother has always been my symbol for hard work. It may seem a bit cliched but I stand my ground when I say my mother is the very birth of my inspiration. My mother was actually the starting point to my fascination in obstetrics/gynaecology. How? My mother had to wait approximately 10 years before she could give birth to her first child, me. I decided that from the very moment that I found out how long it took for me to be born that I would help various women that had the same problem like my mother. We will write a custom essay sample on The person that inspires me the most or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When I told her what I wanted to do, she looked at me with so much pride that I knew that I would do anything to help that dream come true for the both of us. She continues to give me so much support for that one career that it’s all I can think about. My mother is, in my books, the very definition of hard work. From the very moment that my father retired, my mother took the role of the official breadwinner. From that moment, our mother-daughter relationship faltered a little, but I understood. She had to go to work every weekday, at some point in time, she had to go to school to get another degree for a promotion that she was aiming for. She is also a public figure in my church and occasional church trips and anniversaries had to be planned that required her attention. Even with all this, she has to pay my school fees, pay for our regular vacations and the money to be spent during those vacations. She may not have enough time to spend with me but she always shows me what it means to be a woman and how I am meant to cater for the family that I am bound to happen. She holds a lot of expectations of me and hopes for a lot of things regarding me. She says it is because she told God what she wanted in a child and she knows that what she asked for, God would provide. My mother feels the need to be a mother to everyone. She has a generous soul. A soul so generous that she puts people’s needs before hers. Truth be told, I would have never discovered my love for medicine if it hadn’t been for her. I would have never understood what life could be like. She showed me what it meant to be in another world where no one cared where you came from. Yes, she was a bit skeptical when I told her that I wanted to go to a school that took over 10 hours to get to but she knew that I wasn’t going to have fun and ruin my chance to make her proud of me. No, she knew it was to better myself and show that she raised a remarkable individual that would help lives everywhere. I once told her, â€Å"Mum, you should stop putting so much pressure on me.† She answered, â€Å"You are my daughter. I know what you are capable of and what you are not capable of. I’m not putting pressure on you. I’m merely informing you of what I know you can do.† After that day, I never complained when she ‘pressured’ me. I would merely look at it as a source of encouragement. She’s not the most original person to use as the basis for my essay but to me, she is the true meaning of an independent great woman and I am thankful that I got someone so influential in my life.

Taoism And Confucianism Essay Example For Students

Taoism And Confucianism Essay Taoism It is always present in you. You can use it anyway you want. Lao-tzu Taoism is one of the two great philosophical and religious traditions that originated in China. The other philosophy native to China is Confucianism. Both Taoism And Confucianism Essay began at about the same time, around the sixth century B. C. Chinas third great religion, Buddhism, came to China from India around the second century of the common era. Together, these three faiths have shaped Chinese life and thought for nearly twenty-five hundred years. One dominant concept in Taoism and Buddhism is the belief in some form of reincarnation. The idea that life does not end when one dies is an integral part of these religions and the culture of the Chinese people. Although not accepted by our beliefs, its understanding helps build strength in our own religion. We will write a custom essay on Taoism And Confucianism specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Reincarnation, life after death, beliefs are not standardized between the religions. Each religion has a different way of applying this concept to its beliefs. Ignorance of these beliefs is a sign of weakness in the mind. To truly understand ones own religion, one must also understand those concepts of the other religions of the world. Hopefully this will be enlightenment on the reincarnation concepts as they apply to Taoism and Buddhism. The goal in Taoism is to achieve Tao, to find the way. Tao is the ultimate reality, a presence that existed before the universe was formed and which continues to guide the world and everything in it. Tao is sometimes identified as the Mother, or the source of all things. That source is not a god or a Supreme Being as with Christians, for Taoism is not monotheistic. The focus is not to worship one god, but instead on coming into harmony with Tao. Tao is the essence of everything that is right, and complications exist only because people choose to complicate their own lives. Desire, ambition, fame, and selfishness are seen as hindrances to a harmonious life. It is only when one rids himself of all desires can Tao be achieved. By shunning every earthly distraction, the Taoist is able to concentrate on life itself. The longer the ones life, the closer to Tao one is presumed to have become. Eventually the hope is to become immortal, to achieve Tao, to have reached the deeper life. This is the afterlife for a Taoist to be in harmony with the universe. To understand the relationship between life and the Taoism concept of life and death, the origin of the word Tao must be understood. The Chinese character for Tao is a combination of two characters that represent the words head and foot. The character for foot represents a persons direction or path. The character for head represents a conscious choice. The character for head also suggests a beginning, and foot, an ending. Thus the character for Tao also conveys the continuing course of the universe, the circle of heaven and earth. Finally, the character for Tao represents the Taoist notion that the eternal Tao is both moving and unmoving. The head in the character means the beginning, the source of all things, or Tao itself, which never moves or changes; the foot is the movement on the path. Taoism upholds the belief in the survival of the spirit after death. To have attained the human form must be always a source of joy for the Taoist. It is truly a reason to rejoice because despite whatever is lost, life always endures. Taoists believe birth is not a beginning and death is not an end. There is an existence without limit. .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0 , .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0 .postImageUrl , .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0 , .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0:hover , .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0:visited , .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0:active { border:0!important; } .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0:active , .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0 .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u18971c59d7449f60c0a5ff45f31becf0:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: How Many Pages is 2000 Words? There is continuity without a starting point. Applying reincarnation theory to Taoism is the belief that the soul never dies, a persons soul is eternal. It is possible to see death in contrast to life; both are unreal and changing. Ones soul does not leave the world into the unknown, for it can never go away. Therefore there is no fear to come with death. In the writings of The Tao Te Ching, Tao is described as having existed before heaven and earth. Tao is formless; it stands alone without change and reaches everywhere without harm. .

Canadian Employment Insurance - Online Application

Canadian Employment Insurance - Online Application If you have paid Canadian Employment Insurance (EI) premiums and are unemployed, you may be able to apply for Canadian Employment Insurance benefits using the EI Online Application from Service Canada. EI Online Application - Frequently Asked Questions Before you attempt the EI online application, please read through the Frequently Asked Questions from Service Canada. EI Online Application - Personal Information The EI online application takes about 60 minutes to complete, but if you are disconnected during the process, your information will not be saved. Be sure to have all the information youll need close at hand before you begin the EI online application. If you do not have all the information listed below, or if you have any questions, then it is better to file your Employment Insurance application in person at the nearest Service Canada office to make sure your Employment Insurance benefits are not delayed. For the EI online application you will need: Your postal codeSocial Insurance Number (SIN)Date of birthMothers maiden nameAddress and postal code of residenceGross salary - total earnings before deductions including tips and commissionsGross salary for your last week of work - from Sunday to your last day of workVacation pay - received or to be receivedSeverance pay - received or to be receivedPension - received or to be receivedPay in lieu of notice - received or to be receivedOther money - specifyName, address, dates of employment and reason for separation for all your employers in the last 52 weeks.Dates for the weeks in the last 52 weeks when you did not work, did not receive money and whyDates for the weeks (Sunday to Saturday) in the last 52 weeks when you did not work and did not receive money, and reasons whyDates and amounts for weeks in the last 52 weeks when your earnings were less than $225.00 before deductionsBand number if applying for Status Indian tax exemptionBanking information to arrange a direct deposit of E mployment Insurance benefits. If applying for Employment Insurance parental benefits, you will also need the SIN of the other parent. If applying for Employment Insurance sickness benefits, you will need your doctors name, address, and telephone number. You may also need your expected date of recovery. If applying for Employment Insurance compassionate care benefits, you will need information about the ill family member. Note: When submitting an EI application online, you must also submit the paper copy of your Record of Employment by mail or in person to a Service Canada office as soon as possible. EI Online Application - Confirmation Once you submit your EI online application, a confirmation number will be generated. If you do not receive a confirmation number or wish to make changes to your application, do not apply again. Instead, call the following number during regular business hours and press o to talk to an agent: 1 (800) 206-7218

Boston beer case

The major domestic producer segment only contained three major companies also known as â€Å"The Big Three†: Anheuser-Busch, Miller Brewing Company, and Adolf Coors Company. They commonly competed on the foundation of economies of scale which wound up being the main driver of revenue. By selling significant quantities of product at a cheap price, â€Å"The Big Three† was able to obtain 77% of the market share in 1994. By holding such a large portion of the market, domestic producers received elevated amounts of revenue which became extremely helpful in the 1980’s when demand dwindled. â€Å"The Big Three† was able to avoid financial hardship by having the financial and marketing resources to defend their brands. Due to mass production however, the tastes and standards of quality often varied widely. This created a niche for other brewing segments to tap into the market. Queue the necessity for craft beer. The craft brewing segment manufactured products for more sophisticated drinkers who desired more flavorful and bitter tasting beer. In terms of driving their revenue, craft brewers concentrate on the price aspect of their product. By primarily focusing on the quality of their beer, they could charge a price premium to drive revenue. In fact some brews are so well sought-after, they are sold for double the price major domestic beer. Craft Brewers also capture value through strong brand name recognition. They use extensive marketing campaigns to spark interest and build product awareness. In addition, Craft Brewers have the opportunity to contract out plants of domestic manufacturers who are beneath capacity. Due to the excess amount of producers, custom brewers have considerable control in the relationship allowing them to set strict prices and quality control. Additionally, contracting allows brewers to strategically choose plants locations allowing them to cut down on transportation costs and guarantee product freshness. Boston Beer captured value similarly to all other craft brewers. It focused on selling high priced, high quality beers to its customers by pursuing four main initiatives, three of which have already been touched on. Boston Beer assured extremely high quality standards by testing each batch with numerous tests, being the first company to stamp expiration dates on each bottle, and instructing customers to toss beer after expiration. Boston Beer also received all the bargaining benefits for contract brewing listed before. Additionally it spent an absurd amount of money in sales and marketing, significantly more than most other specialty beer companies. Commercials were focused on the quality of the beer itself and educated consumers, drawing attention to superior ingredients. Boston Beer’s unique advantage was their product line innovation. Creating a broader line of seasonal and annual beers continued to build brand awareness by helping obtain greater shelf space and product focus among distributers and retailers. Boston Beer vs. Craft Beer Competitors Redhook Ale Brewery owned and operated its own breweries unlike Boston and Pete’s. They only had two plants in the state of Washington so they were primarily focused in the western part of the country with ambitions to tap into the eastern market by purchasing a new plant in New Hampshire. Redhook also plan on regional expansion by aligning with Anheuser-Busch where their products were sold through 700 distributors nationwide. By primarily focusing on expanding its product coast-to-coast, Redhook plans to now drive revenue through increasing quantity. Pete’s Brewing Company already has a fairly broad spectrum as they market beer in 44 states thanks to a great deal of advertising. Although once exclusively a contract brewer, Pete’s has now focused on obtaining their own production plants as well. Specifically in California where the opportunity for growth is higher than ever due to high demand for specialty beer there. Unlike Redhook, Pete’s has already expanded their product reach. Now it is focusing on obtaining greater market share. Boston Beer Company is fairly similar to its competing beer competitors. All three had capitalized on tremendous growths and plan to continue progressing into the future. Boston also plans on an upcoming initial public offering to raise funds, which Redhook and Pete’s have also just recently completed. The principal difference is that Boston plans on remaining solely a contract brewer. When the market begins to mature, it will be interesting to see whether company-owned or third-party breweries will be more beneficial. As time goes on, craft breweries will start directing their efforts competing against each other instead of domestic producers. Luckily Boston Beer will be ready for the transition since they have already established themselves in the specialty beer market. Comparing Craft Brewers Financials Expressing relationships between financial statement items can be used to determine Boston Beer Company’s performance relative to their competitors, Redhook and Pete’s. By comparing and contrasting historical data with firms in the same industry, Boston Beer can identify their primary strengths and weaknesses. By breaking down their financial ratios into four basic categories, Boston Beer can determine their success. Those four are: profitability, efficiency, liquidity, and solvency. *All ratios were taken from 1995 financials since it was the most recent. The most up-to-date entry gives the best look at Boston Beer’s current state of affairs. Profitability ratios show a company’s overall performance by assessing their ability to generate earnings as compared to expenses. They indicate the firm’s proficiency to create a return. Due to Boston Beer’s premium quality, they are able to sell their product at a gross margin of 51. 7%, higher than both Redhook and Pete’s. However, Boston’s operating profit of 6. 8% is far behind that of Redhook’s 16. 8% due to their immense advertising expenses. Boston Beer may have the best gross margin of craft brewers, however their profit margin is offset because they are spending a lot in order to do so. Efficiency ratios are used to analyze how well a company internally manages their assets and liabilities. By decreasing their working capital, firms are able to free up cash which can be used for other means such as short-term investing, repayment of debt, or issuance of dividends. No matter what the money is used for, improvement in working capital almost always translates to profitability. Boston Beer has the highest inventory turnover of 12. 8 related to Pete’s and Redhook and their collection period and accounts payable period are also lackluster. As a takeaway, Boston Beer still has ground to make up in productivity against rivals. To determine a company’s ability to pay off its short-term debt obligations, liquidity ratios are used. In order to avoid bankruptcy, a business must be able to have enough cash to cover their obligations. These ratios will determine if the company has a financial future by clarifying their margin of safety with debt. The most common factor used to determine liquidity is the current ratio. Boston Beers current assets over liabilities are 1. 43 which is more than enough cushion to cover any interim commitments. Unlike liquidity, solvency is used to determine the chances of the firm’s long-term survival by measuring the ability to meet long-term debts. Solvency ratios help hint on the likelihood of bankruptcy down the road. Boston’s debt-to-asset of . 05 and debt-to-equity of .  06 are far lower than that of their competitors so they seem to be leading in that category. Even after the expected IPO deal continues, Boston’s D/A and D/E ratios will improve even further. Boston Beer Intrinsic Value In order to determine the IPO price of Boston Beer Company, the intrinsic value of the company must be found first. By using various valuation methodologies, we can create e stimates of the company’s underlying value and determine a final answer from there. One method that can be determined from the given data is the discounted cash flow valuation. By using a cash flow analysis, a valuation can be determined by taking the current status of a company to predict future profitability and then discounting them to obtain an intrinsic value. Using the information provided in the case, general assumptions can be made to determine Boston Beer’s projected income statement, changes in working capital, increases in capital expenditures, and their weighted average cost of capital. Unfortunately there is a lot of missing data, leaving some values up to debate. Through calculating a WACC of 7.  76%, generating future cash flows for the next five years, and determining the low terminal growth rate, the enterprise value of Boston Beer is expected to be about $210 million. That leaves an equity value of $197 million after eliminating debt. Expected price per share can be determined by taking the equity value over number of outstanding shares which ends up being $10. 78 a share. Profitability and Growth Assumptions In the short term, th ere is still plenty of opportunity for craft beer companies to expand. But due to increased competition and market saturation, it will only be a matter of time before growth begins to slow down. With all three leading specialty brewers undertaking plans of massive expansion, and domestic producers beginning to make a move into the specialty beer market the industry’s future looks bleak. Boston Beer may experience extraordinary growth for the few years, however eventually industry growth will stabilize. The long term growth rate for craft breweries will be much lower than their current astounding growth rates. The outlook of the beer industry as a whole is not expected to grow at all, resulting in breweries constantly battling market share away from competitors. Once the specialty beer market has become saturated, Boston Beer will need to search for other growth opportunities, or risk stagnating company development. Furthermore, the future of bargaining power over contract breweries should be taken into account. One of Boston Beer’s competitive advantages is obtaining cost benefits from the overabundance of brewery plants. By removing the benefits of contract brewing, it would result in drastically reduced net income for craft brewers due to increased expenses. In a worst case scenario, Boston Beer may have to transition and purchase their own facilities leading to large capital expenditures. As the market begins to mature and growth slows, craft brewers will have to find ways to reduce expenses in order to continue increasing profits. Assuming changes in expenses plays a big part in determining a company’s profitability. Price fluctuations in raw materials and production advances can influence the cost of goods sold. Craft Breweries need for such high marketing expenses may decline after the market becomes saturated and the need for awareness diminishes. These are just a few disruptions that can vastly alter companies future.

Write a short essay on Information System (IS) development

Write a short on Information System (IS) development philosophies and methodologies - Essay Example thodology a hierarchical categorization is required that detaches basic or â€Å"essential† characteristic from â€Å"accidental† particulars (Avison & Fitzgerald, 2002; Iivari et al., 1999). This paper presents a detailed analysis of the information system development philosophies and methodologies. Information systems development methodology is simply an instantiation that is established for one or more information systems development approaches (ISDAs). In addition, the information systems development approaches encompass the necessary features; those are then inherited for the information systems development methodologies belonging to that class. Additionally, one significant implication of systematizing the area of information systems development methodologies into an understandable amount of ISDAs is to move the influence from individual ISDMs to the characteristics of all-purpose information systems development methodologies, like terms of essence of their illustration methodology. Furthermore, the strong appearances of information systems development methodologies make it probable to widen the practical experience of systems developers. Since, they allow flexible, situation-oriented â€Å"methodology engineering† thus an information systems development methodology is adopted to a specific ISD project in the course of an instantiation of a suitable information systems development methodology (Iivari et al., 1999; Bielkowicz et al., 2002). Socio-Technical Approach is a technique for information system development that facilitates future users to play a major role in the system designing, to fulfill requirements, additional technical and operational objectives, to make sure that the new technical system is enclosed with a well-matched and well-functioning business system (Fitzgerald et al., 1985; Walters et al., 1994). Socio-Technical Approach encompasses the guiding principles and beliefs that are about the self-design of a working system. In addition, the

Otto von Bismarck as a statesman Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Otto von Bismarck as a statesman - Term Paper Example In 1838, he resigned from his job because of boredom. In 1847, he got married to Johanna von Puttkamer; this was a turning point in his life because of the enormous support he received from Puttkamer. During the same period he embraced Christian tradition of the Lutheranism and began his service in the Prussian legislature; in 1847, he was elected into the Prussian parliament. In his tenure in the parliament, he opposed the liberal movement and campaigned for the unification of Germany under the support of Prussia. He also protected the rights of the Junkers (his elite social class). He served as a Prussian minister in the German government at Frankfurt between 1851 and 1859. He also served as an ambassador to Paris in 1862 and to St. Petersburg between 1859 and 1862. In both services he acquired more insight and experience that would partially establish his subsequent policies (The Questia.com 1).it is up to today debated whether Bismarck had a master plan to expand the north German confederation of 1866 to include the remaining independent German states into one country or maybe he just wanted to expand the power of the kingdom of Prussia .many reaction to Danish and other neighboring country provided foci for German unity Bismarck was an opportunist and good diplomat than a master planner. Political discontent and democratic liberalism were spreading through the parliaments and streets of Europe and people like Bismarck staunchly opposed to democratic liberalism were staunchly opposed to democratic liberalism were to work very hard to stay afloat. Bismarck did it by being pragmatist instead of idealist. He opposed any concession to the liberals and expressed contempt for the king’s willingness to bargain with revolutionaries. He was the best into taking advantage of his opportunities and leading them in the right way always. He was the main factor in unification of Germany. Otto von Bismarck was a very conservative political leader Germany has ever ha d. Wars with Austria and France He was appointed as a premier in 1862 by William I in order to securely adopt the Prussian program for the king’s army; the program was overwhelmingly rejected in the parliament. Bismarck’s main purpose was to drive out Austria from the German Confederation. He provoked the Austro-Prussian War of 1866 by accusing Austria of violation of the Gastein treaty. Austria was defeated and Germany reorganized into the North German Confederation under the Prussian leadership; Austria was not included. He also provoked the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) and he was able to obtain Lorraine and Alsace from France (The Questia.com 1). Alignments and Alliances Bismarck had full control of the domestic and foreign affairs. For the consolidation of the empire, he aimed at gaining the friendship of Austria, maintain British friendship by avoiding colonial or naval rivalry and isolate France through diplomacy. Thus, in 1872, he created the Three Emperorâ⠂¬â„¢s League (Austria-Hungary, Russia, and Germany). A rift in the Russo-German relations led to a Dual Alliance with Austria and the Dual Alliance became a Triple Alliance when Italy joined in 1882. The Reinsurance Treaty of 1887 revived Germany relationship with Russia (The Questia.com 1) how strong the nationalism. Bismarck knew very well that the alliances that war could accomplish his goals. How Bismarck dealt with Austria shows his commitment to maintaining boundaries based on political and

Ethics in Nursing Essay Example for Free

Ethics in Nursing Essay Nurses are to provide compassionate, competent, and ethical care, and follow the moral principles and guidelines set out by the College of Nurses and the Canadian Nurse’s Association’s code of ethics. The nursing profession is a self-sacrificing one, and nurses take on the Nightingale Pledge, to elevate the standard of their practice and dedicate themselves to those committed in their care (Keatings Smith, 2010, p. 64) However unfavourable working conditions, inadequate patient to nurse ratios, and intensive job-related stress can lead to poor performance of daily routines, and adversely patient safety (Ozata et al. , 2013). In the situation regarding Mr. Gurt who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, it is vital for the nurse to weigh him at the beginning of each month. This is her obligation under her employing institution’s standards of care, as well under the autonomy of her practise in which any deviation from this could result in exposure to liability (Austin 2006, p. 62). In order for the nurse to properly care for Mr. Gurt, assessing his accurate weight is essential in providing a care plan that will focus on his overall wellness and healing. Because Mr. Gurt is frail, and has stage one pressure ulcers on both heels and his coccyx, it is imperative that he has every opportunity to build up his skin integrity and prevent future disruption of his skin surface. Complications that may arise because of the nurse’s neglect in failing to weigh him, may contribute to other underlying problems. General health concerns Mr. Gurt would be facing on top of his current co- morbidities would include a decline his general appearance, gastrointestinal, neurologic, integumentary, and musculoskeletal systems (Holloway, 2004, p. 80). By recording a weight of 70kg with a height of 170cm, the nurse calculated Mr. Gurt’s Body Mass Index (BMI) at 24.2 which is borderline overweight, when in fact it was 14.5, with 18.5 being the baseline for being underweight ( http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/ obesity/ BMI/bmicalc.htm., n.d.). According to this value, it would be likely that Mr. Gurt would suffer from imbalanced nutrition, less than his body requirements leading to other complications and failing to thrive. Nanda defines failure to thrive as the progressive functional deterioration of a physical and cognitive nature. The individual’s ability to live with multisystem diseases, cope with  ensuing problems, and manage his care are remarkably diminished (Ackley Ladwig, 2011, p. 350). To add on to potential problems, drug doses are given based on factors such as age, gender, and the weight of a patient (Raman-Wilms, 2013). Since Mr. Gurt is elderly and suffering from the effects of Parkinson’s with an imbalance of neurotransmitter activity between dopamine and acetylcholine, there may be fewer receptors and a decrease in neurotransmitters to take up his drugs (Raman-Wilms, 2013). Levadopa a dopaminergic medication which treats the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease should be reviewed with b ody weight changes (Raman-Wilms, 2013). A study looking into the factors of weight loss in Parkinson’s looked at the effects of dopaminergic treatment which suggested that the drug had a lipolytic effect and body mass fat was decreased with the advancement of Parkinson’s symptoms (Lorefalt, 2004, p.186). The potential magnitude and likelihood of harm occurring in this case is significant as drug tolerances, adverse effects, and toxic effects are high, making the liver and kidneys susceptible to disease (Urquhart, 2014), as Mr. Gurt’s body mass index indicates he is underweight and a higher risk for drug overdoses. Effectiveness of this drug will diminish over time in which the adverse effects may become severe and may include palpitations, abdominal movement, dizziness, and confusion (Raman-Wilms, 2013, p. 331). Incorrect doses of his medication could lead to physical and psychological issues based on the nurses documented weight and his actual weight. Failing to weigh Mr. Gurt will have a great impact on his nutritional needs, but will also affect his ability to heal his pressure ulcers on his heels and coccyx. Mr. Gurt is emaciated which may be in part to dysphasia, tremors, still muscles, and slow movements among other symptoms of Parkinson’s (Wilk Newmaster, 2013, p. 288). As well, Mr. Gurt’s weight is evidence that he is not receiving the nutritional intake his body’s immune system requires to create the proteins and blood cells (macrophages the body’s first line of defence), needed to attack and repair his wounds, and prevent the risk for infection (Raman-Wilms, 2013). The nurse’s blatant disregard to weigh Mr. Gurt puts him at greater risk for infection and is a form of negligence. Negligence in nursing can be unintentional, however it is important to understand the effects this has on health professionals practicing in Ontario. A registered nurse is responsible to follow the standard of care when performing nursing  acts under autonomy within their scope of practise (College of Nurses, 2004) (CNO, 2004). Standard of Care is the legal benchmark against which a person’s conduct is measured to determine whether a person has been negligent and whether the person’s conduct or actions in a given situation have met those expected of a competent health care professional (Keatings Smith, 2010). The College of Nurses is the governing body for registered nurses that protect the public through regulating the nursing profession (CNO, 2014). A practising nurse is obliged to follow the standards of care and ethical guidelines set out by this governing body (CNO, 2014). The College of Nurses lists seven ethical values which are all important, but recognizes that client well-being is a primary value (CNO, 2014). The College of Nurses connotation of client well-being is to promote the patients health, while preventing or removing harm (CNO, 2014). In the case regarding Mr. Gurt, where the nurse is required to weigh him monthly and record the data, she is morally responsible for the patient’s well-being and for any adverse outcomes regarding his health for failing to provide safe care. The nurse’s complacency in failing to weigh Mr. Gurt, a simple act, would be of concern in investigating her moral responsibility in providing ethical care in her work environment. The nurses ethical duty is to advocate for her patients and provide safe, effective, and ethical care (CNO, 2014). Possible outcomes that could arise for the nurse in failing to provide ethical care include: her co-worker filing a complaint to the College of Nurses, a discipline hearing with the College of nurses, and possibly a lawsuit (CNO, 2014). Potter Perry note the criteria nurses can be found liable for negligenc e as summarized; the nurse owed the duty to the patient; to whom that duty was not carried out; and the patient was injured for failing to carry out that duty (Potter Perry 2013, p. 96). A common negligent act is failing to monitor a patient’s condition adequately (Potter et al., 2013, p. 97). For a nurse to be sued, and in the case with Mr. Gurt, the nurse had carelessly not performed a duty which was vital to his ongoing care. While the ability to predict harm is evaluated is this case, the nurse had committed a wrong doing to Mr. Gurt and could be tried as an unintentional tort. (Potter et al., 2013, p. 97-98). According to the Criminal Code, 1985, if Mr. Gurt was to pass away as a result of improper care or toxic levels of medication being given due  to the nurse failing to weigh him, the nurse could also face criminal liability if the nurse was proven to have a reckless disregard for her patient (Potter et al., 2013, p. 99-100). The best way for nurses to avoid being negligent is to follow the standards of care; be self aware and to reflect on their nursing practise; to follow the ethical framework established by the College of Nurses; and to continuall y educate themselves on best practices, assessments, and evaluations within their nursing abilities (Potter et al., 2013, p.98). With that in mind, one final thing I would suggest is to have professional liability and legal assistance protection insurance coverage. References BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 4105 Ackley, J. A., Ladwig, G. B. (2011). Nursing Diagnosis Handbook (9th ed.). St. Louis: Mosby/Elsevier Canada. Austin, S. (2006). Ladies gentlemen of the jury, I present the nursing documentation. Nursing, 56-64 Calculate Your Body Mass Index. (n.d.).Calculate Your BMI. Retrieved June 4, 2014, from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/BMI/bmicalc.htm.(n.d.). College of Nurses of Ontario/Ordre des Infirmià ¨res et Infirmiers de lOntario. (2014). College of Nurses of Ontario. Retrieved June 15, 2014, from http://www.cno.org/ Holloway, N. (1999). Medical-Surgical Care Planning. Orinda: Springhouse Corporation. Keatings, M. (2010). Ethical Legal Issues in Canadian Nursing (3rd ed.). Toronto:Mosby/Elsevier Canada. Lorefalt, B., Ganowiak, W., Palhagen, S., Toss, G., Unosson, M., Granerus, A.K,.(2004). Factors of Importance for Weight Loss in Elderly Patients with Parkinsons disease. Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, 180-187. Ozata, O., Ozturk, Y.E., Cihangiroglu, N., Altunkan, H. (2013). The Development of a Scale of Malpractice Trend in Nursing and Validity and Reliabilty Analysis. International Journal of Academic Research, 57-65. Potter, P. A., Perry, A. G., Kerr, J. C., Wood, M. J. (2009). Canadian Fundamentals of Nursing (4th ed.). Toronto: Mosby/Elsevier Canada. Raman-Wilms, L. (2013). Guide to Drugs in Canada (4th ed.). Toronto: Dorling Kindersley. Urquhart, B. (2014). Exploring how kidney failure impacts the bodys systems. Western News. Wilk, M. J., Newmaster, R. (2013). Canadian Textbook for the Support Worker.Toronto: Mosby/ Elsevier Canada.

Millennial Themes in The Prelude and Mont Blanc Essay -- Wordsworth P

Millennial Themes in The Prelude and Mont Blanc On reading Book VI of Wordsworth's thirteen-part version of The Prelude, I was particularly struck by the passage in which, following his crossing of the Alps, the poet describes "the sick sight / And giddy prospect of the raging stream" (VI. 564-565) of the Arve Ravine as both an apocalyptic foreboding and an expression of millennial unity in his theory of the One Mind: The unfettered clouds and region of the heavens, Tumult and peace, the darkness and the light, Were all like workings of one mind, the features Of the same face, blossoms upon one tree, Characters of the great Apocalypse, The types and symbols of eternity, Of first, and last, and midst, and without end. (VI. 566-572) The unity of God, man, and nature is of course a common theme in Wordsworth's poetry, having been given equally memorable treatments in Tintern Abbey and elsewhere, but it was the seemingly paradoxical sentiment of this passage from The Prelude that made such a strong impression on me. As John Beer points out in his article "Romantic Apocalypses," "Although traditionally the apocalypse and the millennium have gone together, recently, the first, with its sense of doom, has been more prominent" (109). To a reader who has lived through the passing of both a new century and a new millennium, the phrase "Characters of the great Apocalypse" tends to evoke feelings of eschatological anxiety, and to suggest the fragility and transience of the landscape Wordsworth is attempting to describe. It is easy to forget that Wordsworth used the term in its original sense of "simply 'revelation,' the name given to the English version in the New Testament" (Beer 109); and that in its evocations o... ... used the essential paradox of apocalypse and millennium not to prophesy the destruction of the existing world, but to make their readers aware of the greater harmony of the universe, both within and outside the boundaries of time. Works Cited Beer, John. "Romantic Apocalypses." Wordsworth Circle 32.2 (2001): 109-116. Shelley, Percy Bysshe. "Mont Blanc: Lines Written in the Vale of Chamounix." 1816. Romanticism: An Anthology. 2nd ed. Ed. Duncan Wu. Oxford: Blackwell, 1998. 845-849. Shelley, Percy Bysshe. Excerpt from "Journal-Letter from Percy Bysshe Shelley to Thomas Love Peacock, 22 July to 2 August 1876." Romanticism: An Anthology. 2nd ed. Ed. Duncan Wu. Oxford: Blackwell, 1998. 844. Wordsworth, William. Excerpt from The Thirteen-Book Prelude, Book VI. 1806. Romanticism: An Anthology. 2nd ed. Ed. Duncan Wu. Oxford: Blackwell, 1998. 389-392.

Should Democratic Promotion Be a Top Priority of the United States

Promoting democracy has been a key part of the United States foreign policy prescription for more than forty years. After the defeat of the fascist regimes during the second world war and the fall of the Soviet Union after the cold war, the United States government latched on to the idea of democratization because it became widely accepted that this is how our national security is best protected. This new ideology is very different when compared to what Secretary of State John Quincy Adams stated in 1821: â€Å"Where the standard of freedom and independence has been unfurled, there will her heart, her benedictions, and her prayers be.But she does not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own. † The United States has not always forcefully campaigned change, but led by example in order to try to inspire the world (Hook 2008, 383-7). While this type of approach to int ernational relations may not fit our current time period, it is beginning to look as if our current policy approach is fading into history as well. Here is the issue at hand: should promoting democracy abroad be a top United States priority?Argumentatively, no, it should not. Democratic nations are said to be less prone to making war, more economically stable, and more peaceful internally. This premise comes from what is known as the â€Å"democracy-peace theory. † Unfortunately, this theory is not completely sound. Democracies are just as likely to participate in warfare, especially if they are a newly democratized state. Studies show that within the first ten years of being established, new democracies are likely to engage in conflict with other democratic states as well as with authoritarian states (Bin. 2007).America began its road towards democracy while fighting for its freedom in the Revolutionary War. A short distance down the time line, the northern and southern part s of the country were divided in a civil war, proving that even America had a rough start in the beginning. Transitioning over to democracy is not easy; actually, it is quite dangerous. The expectations of citizens living in a country undergoing the transformation may not be met as quickly as they would like, thus creating doubt in the new government’s ability to create positive changes. The end result is a rebellion against democracy (Bennett 2010, 43-60).Once the democracy has failed, leaving behind a country with no direction in sight, there is room for other institutions to seize control by preying on the sentiment of the citizens. Nazi Germany after the Weimar Republic and militaristic Japan after the Taisho democracy are a few examples that led to devastating outcomes (Bin. 2007). In these instances, democracy was tried, failed, and then another political institution took over, causing chaos, and causing the rest of the world to spend large amounts of money rebuilding a nd mending a broken country. Keep in mind that the United States has already built up a 12. trillion dollar deficit, which has increased $3. 87 billion dollars daily since September 28, 2007. To put that into perspective, if that number is divided by the entire population of the United States, that leaves about $40,000 dollars that every United States citizen shares in debt (U. S. National Debt Clock). I do not think that the United States has money to spare on risky foreign policies. Democracy is typically believed to enhance relationships between nations and make cooperation with them easier. We need to take into consideration that even though we preach that beneficial outcomes are more likely to arise, what if they do not?Suppose that we do everything correctly in establishing the necessary components for a democracy to be successful: create honest leaders, promote better education, establish a better economy, establish the rule of law, and instill the concepts that our Bill of R ights have established for our own country, it is possible that we could still end up with a country that is unfriendly to the United States and the rest of the world. For example, the democracy in Palestine that the United States accepted for many years elected a terrorist group by the name of Hamas in 2006 to be their leader.This group has an intense hatred for Israel, one of our closest allies. Now we have the pleasure of dealing with a democratically elected terroristic leadership that will be nearly impossible to work with. Democracy obviously did not consider our national interest in this case (Rosenbaum. 2007). Another good example of how democracy does not always serve America’s best interest is the democratically elected president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez. It is questioned whether or not Venezuela is a democracy but the fact is, the Venezuelan people continue to elect Chavez as their leader. This makes them a democracy (Jordan 2007).Even though this country is a dem ocracy, relationships with them are not satisfactory due to Chavez’s defiance in spawning relationships with American enemies such as Cuba, Iran, and Libya (About. com). Regardless of the democratic state of these two countries, they have bred unfavorable situations for the United States, proving that democracy is not always the cure for the disease. If democracy is not guaranteed to produce countries that we can cooperate with and if we are unable to accept when a democracy is not in our favor, then why continue to pour valuable resources into promoting this policy?This question is worth consideration in a world that is beginning to view international relations with the United States as a joke. The United States has developed a hypocritical image in promoting democracy. In 2004, Secretary of State Colin Powell invited the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, an organization that the United States worked through to advocate democracy in previous communist stat es, to witness the presidential election.Members of the organization were stunned when witnessing minorities being asked to provide two forms of identification when only one was needed and African Americans being intimidated by Republican lawyers at the polls. Representatives from Belarus, one of the least democratic countries in Europe, took this opportunity to justify their own corruption by pointing out the United States lack of democracy and respect for human rights (Parry. 2005). If we desire to see change in the rest of the world, then we must lead by example and take our own advice domestically.In 2009, 1. 75 billion dollars of the foreign affairs budget was specifically for promoting democracy, which included funds for voter and civic education abroad. While this was a positive for those countries, a portion of that money should have been used to fund programs such as these in our own education system. According to a report done in 2000 by the American Council of Trustees an d Alumni, students at fifty-five of the top colleges in the United States managed to earn their degree without ever taking a course in American history.Our elementary educational system is also significantly frail in teaching world history, geography, and languages other than English (Johnson. 2003). The National Assessment of Educational Progress for civics most recently discovered that in grades four, eight, and twelve, only about 21% of students had proficient civic knowledge. Funding was increased to the Center for Civic Education, but in 2005, President Bush proposed a request that all funding for the CCE be reduced in light of the funds going to the war in Iraq and other programs overseas (Quirk. 2008).We are prepared to fund programs such as the CCE in other countries but are reluctant to do it for our own future leaders of democracy. The United States also funds programs abroad encouraging citizens to participate in their government democratically by voting. Unfortunately, w hen compared to other countries that we actively campaign this message to, the United States ranks twenty out of twenty-one in voter turnout (Quirk. 2008). We are obviously paying too much money and attention to the rest of the world in regards to education and democratic participation because as everyone else continues to rise, we slowly decline.If we forget about our own citizens while focusing on others, what will happen to our own democracy? In conclusion, instead of making democracy promotion a top priority of our foreign policy, the United States should put democracy as an issue that needs attention domestically. If there are internal problems within our own country that are visible by foreign nations, the United States will never make progress in promoting democratic â€Å"American-style† values.Once the United States has tended to its own weak areas domestically and attempted to improve them, only then will our image as a world leader begin to take positive form again , and only then will it become easier for us to promote our values. We cannot lead by example if we are setting a bad example and we cannot clean up the world if we have not washed our own hands. Annotated Bibliography About. com: US Foreign Policy. The Relationship of the United States with Venezuela. http://usforeignpolicy. about. com/od/countryprof4/p/usvenezuela. htm.This website provided straight forward information about the relationship status of the United States and Venezuela. It provided brief information on why and how this relationship was created and what sort of path that the Venezuelan president is taking. I believe that the purpose of this website is for basic questions of research but not for in depth research. It did provide other links that were relevant to the topic, but I think that a website such as Wikipedia. com would be more reliable and have more detailed information. I was able to find this website through Google with the search terms being United States r elationship with Venezuela.Bennett, Andrew, George Shambaugh. 2010. Taking Sides: Clashing Views in American Foreign Policy. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. This book contains issues that are typically controversial in American Foreign Policy. The authors provide an introduction to each issue, both sides of the argument, and closing remarks on the argument. This book was the starting point of my paper because it is where my topic originated. The introduction to the issue actually contained more useful information for me to get started with rather than the actual argument itself.This edition of this book was published in 2010, which makes it a very reliable source. The authors specifically include a note to students explaining that these arguments are not one-sided and that the purpose of this book is to better educate people on these views and to encourage involvement. This book was a required reading for the course that this paper is intended for. Bin, Yu. 2007. Making Democracy Saf e for the World. Foreign Policy In Focus, (November 8), http://www. fpif. org/articles/making_democracy_safe_for_the_world (accessed February 15, 2010). This article was right on target with why democracy is not perfect.It explains how the â€Å"democracy-peace theory† failed to consider the other side of the spectrum when preaching that democratic states are less likely to participate in warfare. The author makes sure to point out that democracy is not negatively correlated with warfare, but that nations transforming to democracy are vulnerable. I think it is good that the article gave examples of democratic tries that failed, resulting in the taking over by an authoritarian regime because it helped to prove a new democracy’s vulnerability and that we should learn from the mistakes of history.This article was done 3 years ago, which is still recent, and right in the middle of the changing tides in President Bush’s foreign policy popularity. This article was on a website called Foreign Policy In Focus, and I found this website through a required reading for my American Foreign Policy class. I used the key word â€Å"democracy† to find this article. Hook, Steven W. 2008. U. S. Foreign Policy: The Paradox of World Power. 2nd ed. Washington DC: CQ Press. This book’s purpose is to provide information on American foreign policy from the past to the present.Hook divides the book into chapters that are focused on the different components of foreign policy and in one chapter, there is a section that is dedicated to democracy promotion as a part of the foreign policy prescription. This section was helpful in comparing past approaches to this issue to current approaches to this issue in detail. I would use this book again as a reference if necessary when doing another paper in regards to foreign policy. I was able to use this book as a source because it was part of the required reading that was listed for my American Foreign Policy cou rse. Johnson, Loch K. , Kiki Caruson. 2003.The Seven Sins of American Foreign Policy. PS Online, (January), http://www. aspanet. org. This article was assigned as a reading assignment in my American Foreign Policy course. The authors go into detail when explaining the seven wrongs that America commits in regards to foreign policy. They name ignorance, lack of empathy, isolationism, unilateralism, precipitate military action, presidential imperialism, and arrogance as the seven sins of United States foreign policy approach. The article provides examples of how each sin has been committed in order to show what needs to be changed and improved in foreign policy.The information on ignorance was particularly useful to me when explaining how education has declined in importance in the United States. Due to the detailed examples that are provided by the author, this article seems to be a reliable source. Jordan, James. 2007. Venezuela: Democracy or dictatorship. Green Left Weekly, (Novembe r 29), http://www. greenleft. org. au/2007/734/38002 (accessed February 18, 2010). This article, which was in question and answer form, was done by James Jordan, who is the emergency response coordinator for the US-based Venezuela Solidarity Network.He provides answers to questions in regards to Venezuela’s form of government and to what direct path that Hugo Chavez is taking their nation. I used this article to determine that Venezuela was technically a democracy in light of their continuous elections in favor of Chavez. The article comes from an online newspaper called Green Left Weekly, which is radical newspaper in Australia concerned with global issues such as the environment, human rights, and global peace. I found this article through Ask. com by asking if Venezuela was a democracy or not. Parry, Nat. 2005. U. S. Elections Undermine America in Eastern Europe.Foreign Policy In Focus, (September 30), http://www. fpif. org/articles/us_elections_undermine_america_in_easter n_europe (accessed February 10, 2010). This article shows the United States’ somewhat hypocritical image to the rest of the world in regards to democracy promotion. The author gives the 2004 presidential election as the example and describes what representatives of other nations witnessed as they observed the election. The author emphasizes that if America wants to be taken seriously when exporting American-style values, then America needs to practice these values.It is also emphasized that the 2004 election had a great deal of influence on the world’s perception of the United States. This article did a good job in helping me to produce my final points of my paper. It was written in 2005 but given how close in time that it was written to the 2004 election, I believe that this article is reliable and is useful in pointing out work that needs to be done domestically as well as foreign. Quirk, Patrick W. 2008. Democracy Promotion Doublespeak. Foreign Policy In Focus, (Apr il 4), http://www. fpif. org/reports/democracy_promotion_doublespeak (accessed February 10, 2010).This article points out hypocritical practices of the United States especially in regards to education and democratic participation. It discusses how the United States funds many programs to improve these areas in other countries but is reluctant to fund programs in these areas for its own citizens, demonstrating that our own democracy could use some attention as well. The article provides statistics in voter turnout between the United States and other nations and also gives an example of how President Bush failed to recognize that the United States had areas to work on domestically.The author makes many good arguments in this article that most people probably do not think to consider. I also found this article on Foreign Policy In Focus. That website looks to be a great source of information on current and past events. Rosenbaum, Jason. 2007. Is Democracy Really In America’s Int erests? (August 7), http://www. theseminal. com/2007/08/02/is-democracy-the-worlds-savior/ (accessed February 9, 2010). This article discusses how democracy promotion could lead to adverse effects in regards to the interests of the United States.The author points out that even if the United States did a superb job of promoting democracy, it could still produce governments that did not favor the United States. He emphasizes that before the United States continues with its current foreign policy approach to democracy, we need to consider whether it is worth the resources if the outcomes are not more likely to be in our favor almost 100% of the time. I found this article through Google. com by searching for the cons of democracy promotion. U. S. National Debt Clock. http://www. brillig. om/debt_clock/ (accessed February 18, 2010). On this website I was able to find the exact amount of the United States national deficit. The amount was even divided by the number of people living in the United States to show just how much each person has weighing on their shoulders due to irresponsible spending by the federal government. The site goes on to say that the national debt increases everyday by more than 3 billion dollars. This website is not a government website so its reliability is hard to judge, but by looking at the detail, the information seems valid.

Big Five trait theory Essay

A trait, this is a characteristic way in which an individual perceives, feels, believes or acts. We use trait to describe someone, whether he or she is an introvert, a petty nervous person, strongly attached to the family and whether they are very intelligent. Most psychologists, especially personologists are interested in finding what kind of traits that are broad and perhaps genetically based, as opposed to those that are peculiar and changes very easily. On the basis of psychoanalysis of personality theory, the big five personality traits are based on five broad dimensions of personality, and this has been discovered through empirical research, and they are categorized as; openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism (OCEAN). These are the descriptive model of a person’s personality (Barrick, & Mount, 1991). A number of theories do exist which attempts to describe the key traits of human being and one of the most common and earliest introduced is the theory that is concerned with the inborn, genetically determined traits known as temperaments; introduced by Sigmund Freud by the name of Carl Jung. However, this theory was further developed by Myers and Briggs C (Jung’s theory students) and developed a personality test based an Jung’s temperament which is now known as the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI), which has actually become one of the most famous personality test of all time (Bagby, Marshall, & Georgiades, 2005). Quite often traits are seen as opposites, and the first set of this is contrast between introversion and extraversion, the first refers to the tendency of one preferring the world inside oneself, like shyness, distaste for social functions, and love of privacy while the latter extraversion is the tendency to look to the outside world and in specific, for one’s pleasures. These are individuals who are normally outgoing and enjoy social activities, and they are uncomfortable when they are alone. Many extraverts’ people, this makes introverts most times feel a bit put upon. In fact in our current society is very pro-extravert, to the point of seeing introversion as abnormal and funnily seeing shy people to be in need of therapy! But some cultures see extraverts as the oddballs (Barrick, & Mount, 1991). But whether one is introvert or extravert, one is either born with or not and remain that way for the rest of his/her life. It is therefore up to the task of an introvert to behave more like an extravert or as an extravert learn to behave more like an introvert, although it is not easy to switch between the two. Either, being an introvert or extravert is determined by a single gene, and this is something that is pretty unusual for more physical differences. They are the major issues in personality, development, and mental health, although there is currently no evidence for this (McCrae, & Costa, 1990). Furthermore, there is a contrast between sensing and intuiting people; because in sensing, it means getting all their information about life from their senses they therefore tend to be realistic, down-to-earth people, but they often tend to see everything in overly simplistic concrete, black or in white terms. While intuiting people tend to get their information from intuition, they therefore tend to be a little bit out of touch with the more solid aspects of reality; that is to say they are a little flakey, however, they might see â€Å"the big picture† behind the details better. Most intuition people are often artistic and sometimes philosophical. And because majority of people are sensing, they normally make intuiters feel rather lonely and unappreciated, and considering that our society tends to be distrustful of dreamers, artists, and intellectuals, even though other societies may be more appreciating (De Fruyt, McCrae, Szirmak, & Nagy, 2004). Secondly, there is a contrast between thinkers and feelers, for thinking people most times make their decisions on the basis of thinking, that is to say reasoning, logic and step-by-step problem solving and it works very well for physical problems, although it leaves some desires when dealing with situations that are complex like people. And for feeling people, they make their decisions based on their feelings, and this is a kind of intuition that works very well when dealing with people (McCrae, & Costa, 1990). Logistically, half of people are thinkers while the other half, are feelers; however, this proportion differ when looking at gender, because majority of males are thinkers while most women are feelers and this matches with even the old stereotypes and the recent research however, there is no any good reason to value thinking over feeling since each has its strengths and weaknesses. The controversy between judging and perceiving; judging people in most times according to Freud’s anal retentive types are neat, orderly, hardworking, always on time, and schedules things very carefully, and an example is a college professor, but perceiving people are more spontaneous for they prefer to do things as the spirit dictates them, they are perhaps more fun than judging but they tend not to get things done an example is college students (De Fruyt, McCrae, Szirmak, & Nagy, 2004). However in all the above discussions, it is also important at this point to look at neuroticism, where people tend to be very nervous, emotional sort of people. Although it does not necessary mean one is neurotic, it actually means that one is more likely to develop, problems that are associated with neuroticism such as phobias, obsessions, and compulsions, in fact these days low neuroticism is often known as emotional stability. And in relation to neuroticism is Psychoticism, and as the name itself suggests these are people with tendencies to psychosis, that is to say that they are more likely to have problems dealing with reality. Most often psychotic people have hallucinations and delusions like odd beliefs like these of being watered, perhaps by the CIA, or even by creatures on earth and other planets. Secondly, after extraversion-introversion, is emotional stability, and these are people who are not nervous and they are not emotional in short it is an opposite of the neuroticism. They don’t experience negative feelings like anxiety, anger or depression, although they are more likely to experience, one or tow of the emotions. These people are emotionally uncreative that is to say, they don’t respond emotionally to events that affect them and their reactions to most events are quite very normal. They are not more likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening and also minor frustrations as hopelessly difficult. In addition, negative emotional reactions tend to persist for usually short periods of time, this means, they are often in a good mood. These problems in emotional regulations for these people diminish because of their ability to think clearly, decision making, and coping effectively with stress. In general these people tend to be calm, emotionally stable, and they are free from persistent of negative feelings (Barrick, & Mount, 1991). However, all the above five factors, and the latter two so far discussed show an influence from both hereditary and environment. During childhood and adolescent stages, a person’s ratings on these factor traits may change, with average levels of agreeableness and conscientiousness which typically increases while Extraversion neuroticism and openness decreases. But for most people after attaining 30 years stability rather than change becomes the general rule, there is remarkable stability during adulthood. But this does not mean that personality cannot change, given the altering circumstances in life or any efforts to do so, it actually means after attaining 30 all people generally do not change their personality very much. As regards to men and women they show remarkable differences in the above across cultures, women show good response to agreeableness and neuroticism domains, all the same, there is inmate gender differences in personality (McGhee, Ehrler, & Buckhalt, 2007). Conclusion This leaves the area of investigation to make a model of personality, because the big five personality traits are only empirical observations and not a theory; it therefore means that the observations of personality research still remains to be explained. And last but not least, is the downwards extension of the big five theory or the five factor model into childhood, because this will provide children’s social and emotional adjustments and also in academic achievement as they grow. This is because there are implications that, the structure of personality traits might be more differentiated in childhood than in adulthood (McGhee, Ehrler, & Buckhalt, 2007). References

The power of building relationships at work

The power of building relationships at work For most of us in the work world, our jobs aren’t exactly solo missions. Unless you’re a one-person show or your own boss in a lean start-up, chances are you’re part of a team, one whose members all utilize their individual abilities and skill sets collaboratively in pursuit of a common goal- to ensure the success of your company. Most of us will have opportunities to work with a wide range of people and personalities over the course of our careers. Some we get along with right off the bat; some we learn to appreciate and work well with over time; and some we might not nominate for â€Å"person of the year,† but we make an effort to not let differences get in the way of doing our jobs with them effectively. If you’ve spent any amount of time in the workplace, you’ve likely come to realize that building and maintaining solid relationships with coworkers is not only beneficial, it’s absolutely essential.Bonding makes us work harderBuildi ng and maintaining positive relationships is a huge contributing factor to our satisfaction, productivity, and success at work. Harvard Business Review recently reported that â€Å"When people feel like they belong at work, they are more productive, motivated, engaged and 3.5 times more likely to contribute to their fullest potential, according to our research at the Center for Talent Innovation.† It can also mean the difference between getting chosen for new work opportunities and promotions and getting passed over for someone else with a more enviable work profile.Simply put, connections in life and at work matter, and those of us who are viewed as team players and have lots of strong relationships with colleagues- including higher ups, peers at the same level, and subordinates- are best positioned for long-term happiness and success.Work life has a large effect on overall moodBeyond these obvious work relationship benefits, people simply crave positive connections with the people whom they work with and interact on a regular basis. Humans are social animals after all, and we thrive when we feel we’re accepted and appreciated by others; conversely, we’re susceptible to a range of negative effects when we fail to forge significant connections with others, including unhappiness; decreased energy, motivation, and enthusiasm; and depression- and it isn’t hard to envision the unfortunate ripple effect this can have on your satisfaction and performance at work.Working well with others is often mandatoryThere are also practical reasons for building good relationships with your colleagues. Most of us work on projects and initiatives that span coworkers, teams, and departments, which means that your success is tied to your ability to collaborate effectively with your fellow stakeholders. Strong positive relationships typically bode well for project success, while tension between colleagues can be a real impediment to successfully completing a project on target.  Ã‚  Hopefully, by now, it’s clear that building positive relationships at work can benefit you in a host of ways, and that it’s in your best interest to make this a real goal- both to improve your happiness and well-being at work as well as to improve your chances of long-term career satisfaction and success. So, make an effort to enhance your professional network and forge solid connections with your coworkers and you’ll be sure to reap the benefits!

Gardasil Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gardasil Critique - Essay Example But is Gardasil all that it is cracked up to be After all, even when vaccinated, there is still a 30% incidence of cervical cancer. Not to mention, it has been reported that the vaccine will not protect against or treat infections in women who have already had infections with HPV -16, -18, -6, and/or -11. FDA Administrator Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach said the vaccine will have "a dramatic effect" on the health of women around the world. This vaccine is supposed to have a lot of side effects as well. Few incidents in the past have raised few concerns regarding this vaccine. As of 22 May 2007, 7 Victorian schoolgirls from Sacred Heart Girls' College were briefly hospitalized after receiving an injection of the Gardasil vaccine and were taken to the Monash Medical Centre. One was temporarily paralysed. Health authorities do not believe that these are directly related to the vaccine. Talking about major concerns, the first concern is that Gardasil may result in an increased number of cases of a cancer precursor among patients who are already infected by one of the four targeted HPV types when they're given the vaccine; and whose immune systems haven't eliminated the virus from their bodies, the AP reported. Secondly, any advantage provided by the vaccine in protecting against the four targeted HPV types could be offset by infection by the numerous other HPV types that aren't affected by the

Strategic Management in a Corporate Environment Dissertation

Strategic Management in a Corporate Environment - Dissertation Example Recent studies have been focusing on linking knowledge transfer and strategic management through competencies development within the corporate environment where increasing global nature of business, technological complexity and knowledge intensive workforce is contributing to the knowledge and competencies of the business. This has been identified in the paper industry by Laukkanen (2008) and can be found applicable to other sectors as well. As knowledge is considered as the most important and strategic resource in an organization, this internal resource is being increasingly managed strategically to derive a competitive advantage for the business. Continuous globalization is forcing organizations to approach its strategic management towards resource-based and knowledge-based economy in a new perspective for sustainable competitive advantage (Ogrean et al, 2009). There is a need to develop a framework that can increasingly tie knowledge management in a corporate environment with the corporate strategy, which seems to be evolving. This effort also determines the success of the corporate’s business strategy in the internal environment as it is the business strategy that focuses on the effective utilization of organizational resources and capabilities (Zack, 1998). While evidence is available that ties the importance of knowledge management to the strategic management of an organization, there is not much research available to empirically link these two concepts. It can be understood that while knowledge management itself is still evolving along with the development of newer strategies for strategic management, there is a need to further study the relation between knowledge transfer and strategy to understand and estimate their... The research aimed at identifying variables that impact knowledge transfer in strategically managed environments. The objectives of research aimed at understanding strategic management concept through the different theories, concepts, frameworks and models of strategic management in the corporate environment. As firms create knowledge of two kinds: explicit and tacit; identifying, developing, sharing and retaining knowledge become necessary for the firms through strategic thinking, as they need to sustain in the chaotic and complex environments. Knowledge transfer within the different locations of the firm or groups of firms is a necessary task if firms need to achieve a competitive advantage in the global market. While explicit knowledge is easy to share, tacit knowledge is ambiguous and complex requiring strategic management tools or models that impact this transfer of knowledge. Identifying suitable frameworks of knowledge transfer becomes important if firms want to achieve a comp etitive advantage through a resource-based and competencies-based approach to strategic management. The different case studies have helped gather data to validate the qualitative information gathered through literature review. It is found that while the dependent variables: market share, business development, relationship development, cost focus, differentiation and collaboration; of strategic management can be measured for their impact on knowledge transfer, independent variables like HRM and performance are loosely tied to strategic management.