Enginineer Economic and Costing Essay

The HKSAR government announced to the public on 24 October 2006 that the former site of Hong Kong International Airport (Kai Tak Airport) would be redeveloped as an international cruise hub. The whole project included two sub projects, â€Å"Site formation† and â€Å"Cruise terminal and ancillary facilities building†. In project costing Inflation factor is applied as refer to government inflation index in 2009 (2%) and 2010 (2.7%). As the reason of project postponed, the total cost increased nearly one billion dollars compared to the original plan due to retendering and ASD government requirements. Within project costing considerations, maintenance cost in cash flow out is estimated to be roughly 221.9 Million per year from 2013. For project revenue, two main factors based on fixed rent from tenant space ($13 million for ten year tenancy) and variable rent from percentages of annual gross receipt. Minimum acceptable rate of return (MARR) was also used and accounted for from Exchange Fund to calculate present worth analysis as well as benefit and cost ratio of proposed development. Aside from economic and cost based justifications for project analysis, three main factors of social impacts are also considered in competitiveness in the cruise market, employment opportunity, as well as promoting sustainability from an environmental prospective. Overall, the demand for worldwide passenger levels are ever growing, to promote the international image of Hong Kong, the proposal of building the Kai Tak Cruise terminal is feasible when considerations come into play for combination in socio-economic factors. 1Background In analyzing the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, we analyzed the socioeconomic implications for the development plan. The HKSAR government announced to the public on 24 October 2006 that the former site of Hong Kong International Airport (Kai Tak Airport) would be reissued for tender and to the redevelopment of reclaimed land that encompass 7.6 hectares with a general development cost estimate of roughly $8.2 billion. A brief background of the Kai Tak area is that it is the site of the former Hong Kong Kai Tak International Airport located in Kowloon side of Hong Kong. Due to the sensitivity of limited land availability and urban density characteristics in Hong Kong, many rounds of deliberation and planning review by the government was required to finally approve the decision of developing the Cruise Terminal. Ultimately, the new Cruise Terminal facility will serve as a mix use facility to not only serves Hong Kong’s resurgence as an ecotourism destination, but a place for exhibitions and alternate venues as well. 2Cost and Revenue Analysis 2.1Project Costing and Investment Since the fail of tender in 2008, the government decided to proceed with the Design, Build and Lease (DBL) approach. The initial investment includes two sub-projects: â€Å"Site formation† and â€Å"Cruise terminal & ancillary facilities building† were original estimated costing $7.2 billion based on the price in 2008. However, the construction cost in general had surged significantly in 2009 due to sharp increase of numerous materials’ cost like sand and steel reinforcement ect. Finally the cost for â€Å"Site formation† roughly estimated as $2.30 billion with inflation factor 2% applied. This part starts from 2009 and will finish in 2017. One year later, the construction of â€Å"Cruise terminal and ancillary facilities building† started and the inflation factor increase to 2.7%. The cost roughly estimated as $5.85 billion. Thus the total initial investment cost becomes $8.15 billion which is around one billion difference to the original plan due to price infraction. The cash flow out show as below: [pic] The 1st pier will be commenced to public in 2013 Q2 (2nd pier will be after 2017). Thus using 2012~13 FY as reference point and assume MARR to be 4.9 %, whereas the initial investment cost used after 2013 will also be calculated to the present value in 2013 for comparison. Therefore, the total initial investment of Cruise Terminal will be $8.1 billion. [PW(I) = 8.1 billion] (Refer to Appendix Table 1) Beyond the initial investment, the government estimates the annual recurrent expenditure arising from site formation to be $15.5 million and from cruise terminal & ancillary facilities building to be $206.4 million. Thus the total maintenance costs will be $221.9 Million per year after the terminal commences to the public. [pic] 2.2Project Revenue Direct renting revenue to the government In 2011, HKSAR launched an open tender for the tenancy. The Tender Assessment Panel considered that the Worldwide Cruise Terminals Consortium (WCT)’s tender had complied the tender requirements. And the Central Tender Board approved the acceptance of WCT’s tender with renting detail as following: WCT will pay to the government a fixed Rent of approximately $13 million for the 10-year tenancy. The Government will be also received a percentage of the gross receipt of the operator as the variable rent. The percentages of the annual gross receipt to be shared with the Government by WCT are as below: [pic] 3Evaluation of Economic Viability 3.1Minimum Attractive Rate of Return (MARR) To understand the economic viability of carrying out this project, evaluation was conducted by applying the money-time relationships and the concept of Minimum Attractive Rate of Return (MARR). Average investment return of the Exchange Fund which is managed by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) was chosen as the MARR in the analysis. The Exchange Fund’s primary objective is to affect the exchange value of the currency of Hong Kong. The Exchange Fund may also be used to maintain the stability and integrity of Hong Kong’s monetary and financial systems, and can be invested in any securities or other assets to achieve investment return. According to the HKMA, the average return of the Fund was 3.5% over the last three years, 3.2% over the last five years, 4.9% over the last 10 years and 5.6% since 1994. In our analysis, the 10-year average investment return, which is 4.9%, was selected to be the MARR. The annual return of the Fund from 1994 to 2011 is shown in Appendix Table 2 shows the 2011 investment return and the average investment returns of the Fund over a number of different time horizons. The Kai Tak Cruise Terminal Project According to the HKSAR government, the total capital investment required for the project is HKD 8156 million and the estimated annual recurrent expenditure is HKD 221.9 million. The annual income will come from a fixed rent for the 10-year operation as well as a variable rent with the percentage of the operator’s gross receipts. The maximum percentage will be 34% when the gross receipts are greater than HKD 90 million. 3.2Evaluation of the Project by Present Worth method (PW) In our analysis, we first applied the Present Worth (PW) method, which is commonly used for evaluating private financed projects. Our aim is to find out the operator’s annual gross receipt required so that the project can be considered to be economically justified if public benefits are not included in the calculation. By using the PW method, all cash flows and outflows are discounted to the present point in time at the determined MARR (4.9%). The PW is required to be greater or equal to zero if a project is to be considered as economically justified. In our calculation, the evaluation period is 10 years and assuming that the annual recurrent expenditure is a fixed contract amount. To estimate the operating revenue of the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, reference to the operating revenue of Port Everglades in United State was made. Port Everglades is one of the three busiest cruise ports in the world. In 2010, its operating revenue from cruise sector was about USD 45.7 million (HKD 356.5 million). From the result of the calculation, the present value (2013-2014) is –HKD 8846 million (PW < 0) (refer to Table 3), which also means that the project is not economically justified when the public benefits are not included. The information used for the calculation and the cash flow are shown in Appendix Table 3. In addition, our analysis showed that the operator’s first annual gross receipts need to be HKD 3193 million (nearly nine-fold more than Port Everglades’) and then have 4% annual increase for PW to be greater than zero. Achieving this level of income is extremely difficult if not impossible. Table 3: Present equivalent of cash flow In next section, Benefit – Cost Ratio method, which is commonly used for evaluating public projects by considering public benefits, is applied in the analysis. 3.3B/C Ratio Overall economic benefit to Hong Kong Surely the government does not focus on the renting income but the overall economic benefit to Hong Kong. The project leads the development of the Cruise Economy which adds additional value to tourism, retail & dinning, travel trade and hotel etc. Based on the estimation from Tourism commission for latest cruise passengers’ expenditure data and multiplier effect, the cruise industry will bring following economic benefits to Hong Kong under different scenarios: The â€Å"low growth scenario† assumes growth brought by regional cruise operators developing cruise services with Hong Kong as homeport. The â€Å"high growth scenario† assumes growth brought by international cruise operators developing cruise services with Hong Kong as a homeport and port-of-call. We have calculated the B/C ratio for different scenarios as below with following assumptions 1) Interest rate is 4.9%; 2) The government only gets $13 million rent; 3) The Cruise Terminal continuous to operation till following year Therefore, even under low growth scenario, both conventional and modified B/C ratio greater than 1 after the Cruise Terminal continuous to operation over ten years, this project is worth to proceed. 4Social Impacts 4.1Higher competitiveness in cruise markets Compared to Shanghai and Singapore where the cruise terminals have been further developed, Hong Kong’s cruise market would be highly constrained if maintained at the original level. Because Hong Kong will require an additional berth between 2009 and 2015, and one to two berths beyond 2015 to sustain its development as a regional cruise hub in Asia Pacific region. 4.2Increase of employment chances Cruise vessels homeport at Hong Kong will create job opportunities in related industries including hotel, catering, shipping management, shipping supplies and insurance. It may support some 6900 to 10900 employment opportunities in 2020. 4.3Environmental impacts The terminal had obtained Platinum rating in BEAM Plus Project Assessment in 2012, which means a high level achievement in three Green aspects (energy saving, quality of indoor environment, and environmental impacts to neighbors) 5Conclusion From studies of worldwide passenger demand levels, it is estimated that there is a steady increase from 13.9 million to roughly 23.8 – 31.5 million by 2020. Although, this is a world estimate and Hong Kong is only small spectrum of the world, there is seemingly enough evidence from cruise terminal consultancy for Asia region to instill a predictable growth for Hong Kong. Overall, the project does not show promise economically with recurrent expenditures with operational revenues. It should be noted that the facility does not imply with an overall picture depicted in the B/C ratio. Therefore, to promote Hong Kong’s international image and standstill in the international sector, the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal is a viable option for Hong Kong’s bright future.

Effects of Overpopulation in China Essay

This literature review discusses the impacts of overpopulation on the environment in China through four main studies. Each study directed its research on one consequence: the water issue and the aquatic ecosystem, the overexploitation of land and resources as well as the extinction of green land, climate change, GHG emission and desertification of land1. Several methods and sources were used such as Pressure–State–Response (PSR), urban-rural population model or other research papers written previously2. The results of these studies clearly show that the overpopulation has multiple negative impacts on the Chinese environment and that strategies and policies regarding these issues should be established. The population of China is growing exponentially and it is a serious issue because of its impact on the environment. The water deficiency is growing and as it is presented, the expectations of the Chinese people exceed the capacity of the land3. Since the population of China is increasing fast, the urbanization of land and the agricultural development increase at the same rhythm4. As it is presented, human activity and human density are the main explanation for climate change5. According to Shijie Wang’s study, the southwest of China is experiencing a desertification, in other words the land becomes like a desert left with no resources6. Each article presents a different way of conducting its research to prove its point. In Qian Hong et al. research, the methods used to pursue the study are Pressure–State–Response (PSR), the landscape ecology method and Remote Sensing – Global Positioning System (RS-GPS) 7. According to the authors, there are three types of indicators: Pressure indicators, State indicators and Response indicators7. The indicators either presented a high or a low number. If the number is high, it means that the region suffered from important water degradation; if the number is low, it means the opposite7. The analysis of the research is made through a process called Analytical hierarchy process (AHP) that has four specific indicators7. Jianfa Shen’s study uses urban-rural population model to do predictions about the density of the population and is also represented as spatial demographic-economic model 8, whereas Shijie Wang conducted its research by investigating the studied region and by using indicators such as aerial photos and satellite images. He then compares and analyses the results with previous images and researches from the land 9. The only piece of work that did not use any kind of Research method was written by Hung Ming-Te et al. who preferred to write the paper in reference to researches and studies made and scientific predictions 10. One of the most important consequences of overpopulation is the expanding deficiency in water resources. Investigators processed in six districts of China which are part of one region (Jinan) that was recognized for its important source of water, aquatic ecosystem and surface. Due to industrial development and human actions the water condition became polluted and rarer 11. Researchers found that water deficiency and erosion, rainy climate, poor land vegetation, climate change, loss and decrease of agricultural production, which all lead to desertification of land, are all consequences of the activities of the overpopulation 12. Ming-Te et al.’s study presented that the GHG level increased rapidly and the national security is at risk. GHG growing production would also make the lack of water and air pollution worse than it actually is; also they stated that climate change, in addition to being caused by overpopulation, is influenced by poor sustainable development, poor resources management and over-use of energy. This study shows that such changes have impact such as poor water resource and low agricultural production. These consequences engender other concerns such as the lack of food, the decrease in water resources and the desertification of land 13. The conclusions are clear regarding this area, the exceeding use of natural resources is a threat for the environment’s protection and conservation 14. Hong et al. are from the same opinion when they wrote that water condition is getting worse and it affects China’s population’s lifestyle as well as the aquatic ecosystem 15. 10 Hung Ming-Te et al., 363-366 11 Qian Hong et al., 321 12 Shijie Wang et al., 127-129 13 Hung Ming-Te et al., 363-364 14 Jianfa Shen, 39 15 Qian Hong et al., 319 In the field of environment, every single factor is closely related to another one. Each of the four studies shows how the desertification of land, the migration, the exceeding use of resources and the poverty of population are linked. In Wang et al.’s research, poverty is shown to be one of the most devastating causes of desertification because farmers, in order to survive and feed their families, have to increase the production of grains. The overexploitation of the land then leads the land to become rocky 16. According to Shen’s study, agriculture is over-used and China has to import grains to meet the population’s needs 17. The deterioration of the environment and the growth of the land desertification are strongly correlated with the increasing population of this region as well as their activities 18. In reference to Wang et al., Shen and Ming-Te et al.’s studies, since the land is experiencing a phenomenon of desertification because of the exceeding use of agriculture and the high density of population in rural zones, populations are migrating to cities that have already exceeded their capacity in supporting people19. Basically, what Shen is trying to explain is that the construction of urban areas and the overexploitation of lands lead to a decreasing number of green land which causes the environment to deteriorate, because the more people there is, the more resources needed 20. The biggest problem China is facing is the lack of policing and measures adopted regarding the protection of the environment. According to Ming-Te et al., 16 Shijie Wang et al., 131 17 Jianfa Shen, 36 18 Shijie Wang et al., 124 19 Shijie Wang et al., 124-131; Jianfa Shen, 36-39; Hung Ming-Te et al., 363-364 20 Jianfa Shen, 35-36 China’s way of ‘fighting’ against climate change is to invest in the development of sustainable technologies as well as establishing measures and policies regarding the environment 21. Qian Hong et al. specified that the conservation and the protection of water are essential to the survival of the land and aquatic ecosystem 22. The researchers from the two other articles did not write about the policies that should be established to preserve the environment. Studies show that the impacts of overpopulation are multiple and they do affect the ecosystem in China. Shijie Wang et al.’s study proved that the land is overloaded with population growth and has met its capacity. This forced farmers to deforest the land of the Liupanshui district in order for them to increase agricultural production. Also, even though the environment is favorable in this region for such phenomenon to happen, restricted natural resources, overpopulation activities, rapid population growth and social instability make the process happen faster. The consequence of overpopulation’s production of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere exceeds the national average for smelting sulfur by over 13.8 times in some regions such as Bijie and Zunyi which causes air pollution and desertification of land 23. The results of the study conducted in the region of Jinan by Qian Hong et al. clearly showed that this region has the best water condition because of its good conservation of environment, poor population density and important vegetation 24. Hung Ming-Te et al. proved that overpopulation, causing in many ways the change in climate would increase the frequency and strength of natural weather disasters 25. Jianfa Shen suggested that the exceeding use of natural resources due to the increasing density of population is a threat for the environment’s protection and conservation and that people’s lifestyle influences the environment negatively 26.   Bibliography Shen, J. â€Å"China’s Future Population and Development Challenges†. The Geographical Journal 164 no. 1 (1998): 32-40 Hung, M., et al. â€Å"China’s Response to Climate Change: A Policy Analysis.† Journal Of Alternative Perspectives In The Social Sciences 3 no. 2 (2011): 362-375. Wang, S., et al. â€Å"Mechanism of Rocky Desertification in the Karst Mountain Areas of Guizhou Province, Southwest China.† International Review For Environmental Strategies 3 no. 1 (2002): 123-135 Hong, Q., et al. â€Å"Regional aquatic ecological security assessment in Jinan, China†. Aquatic Ecosystem Health & Management 13 no. 3 (2010): 319-327

Columbine Attack and its Results Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 27

Columbine Attack and its Results - Case Study Example Most importantly, it shows that outer appearances can be deceptive and hide cruelty, twisted mindset and general tendency to vandalism. Parents and authorities should have got alert with the first offense, howsoever minor, and consulted a good psychiatrist to unravel the psychology of young students, who were otherwise intelligent and seemingly well mannered. Parents had never tried to go into the depth of the things when they had come across their children’s criminal behavior, including the making of homemade bombs. The authorities should also have investigated the activities, including cyber activities of the students and studied the characteristics of a psychopath, before letting them get into the program and allowed early release. The evildoers are always people who use covert behavior to hide their true intentions. The evil activities and criminal behavior are never an isolated act but are characterized by a trend or pattern of criminal acts. Thus, if the person has committed a criminal activity, it is important to investigate his past actions and take the help of psychologists to assess deviant personality. No, Harris and Klebold should not be forgiven for their assault on Columbine High School. They are a strong example of abnormal personality with a devious mindset and violent tendencies. The attack was deliberately carried out in an educational institute, targeting innocent children and faculty members. The basic objective was to create an environment of terror for the sole purpose of personal satisfaction. Moreover, it was also an expression of hatred against people at large. Thus, their acts must be condemned publicly and not forgiven. The parents had taken lightly the criminal activities of their children and shown scarce concern for discipline or punishment to improve them. Such type of parental neglect gives the wrong signal to children and encourages them towards unsocial activities and acts of violence. Hence, parents should also have been held responsible for the acts of their children and served as an early alarm for those parents who ignore minor and not so minor evil or criminal activities of their children within and outside the home.

Compares three broad themes found in the film The Atomic Cafe and the Essay

Compares three broad themes found in the film The Atomic Cafe and the book Lost Girls by (kolker) - Essay Example The prominent themes found in both the pieces of work are violence, social callousness, and the deceptiveness of the government authorities. The callosity of few social institutions and the deceptive nature of the governmental authorities affect the public welfare leading to calamities that have some long-lasting impact on the society. These acts of violence tend to show the vulnerability of the society and are clearly evidenced in the incidents discussed in both the novel and the film. Kolker’s book recounts the traumatic life of five young sex workers, Shannan Gilbert, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Overstreet Costello, who were gone missing and later found to be murdered by unidentified serial killer. It takes place from 1996 to 2012. This represents a sad cycle of poor families raised in declining towns. Their poor choices and economic problems lead to child neglect, child abuse, behavior disorders, and drug habits. Those are the partial cause of prostitution today. In the book, the author focuses on this sensitive case, compiling all the known facts along with the biographies of the victims. On the other hand, the documentary film titled The Atomic Cafà © talks about misleading political propagandas and its consequences on the society. The film discusses the emergence of nuclear threats and the misinformation doled out to the public by the governmental authorities, with a view to manipulate the reality of the situ ation. This is an era rife with paranoia, anxiety and misapprehension, while the film also exhibits a genuine nostalgia for an earlier and more innocent nation. The footages used in the film clearly capture the effects of the political pressures of war as well as the impact resulting from these destructive weapons, since the World War II to the Cold War years. The callousness of the American authorities who were responsible for the atom bomb calamity is well portrayed in the film. The

Political Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Political Philosophy - Essay Example What is the rationalization of political authority? Why should man abide by government rules? Some have emphasized the need for order and protection as the answer to these questions. Nonetheless, many other answers have been offered towards the justification of government including Robert Wolff’s anarchist answer, Hobbes absolutist answer, and John Locke’s democratic answer. According to the anarchist answer, the state does not have the mandate to impose all its wishes upon an individual. In essence, autonomy is a primary moral need; therefore, the state has no right to go against it in any way. Robert Wolff’s â€Å"In Defense of anarchism† concurs with the idea that the state has no moral authority over any individual. On the other hand, the Absolutist answer describes that the state of nature, without political security is barbarous, dangerous, as well as, impoverished, that is rational to give major freedom to the government or state in order to gain se curity or peace. Hobbes agrees with this statement in his â€Å"Leviathan†. In the Democratic Answer, John Locke concurs with Hobbes when he states that individuals can contract with the government in order to give up on some freedom in exchange of security. Nonetheless, he disagrees with him on the degree of which people should surrender to the state. According to Locke, it is illogical to give up natural rights to representation, property, life and other goods, than slavery to the government. Political philosophy seeks to question the legitimacy of taxation, state’s authority, and the best form of government. ... 2.1 The Meaning of Political Authority Politics refers to the exercise of state’s power; therefore, political philosophy is the philosophy of the state (Pojman, 482). What is the state? Wolff defines the state as a group of individuals that possesses and practices the supreme authority over a specific population or within a certain territory. Therefore, the state may include every individual who falls under its jurisdiction. Two terms emerge from this definition, authority and power. Authority refers to the right to command while power means the ability to command compliance. A government has the right to tax its subjects because it has authority over them. Claiming authority means claiming the right to be obeyed (Pojman, 482-3). The expression authority, nonetheless, is ambiguous since it has both a normative and descriptive sense. Arguably, the state is the highest authority; however, its right to authority appears to be less than absolute. The individual who issues the comm and acts as the occasion for one to become aware of their duty, which is different from the idea that the government has a right to command. Men in de facto states believe in the existence of justifiable authority. However, they may all be wrong since such states may never be in existence. 2.2 The Idea of Autonomy Moral philosophy assumes that men ought to choose how they shall act, in some sense (Pojman, 483). Being responsible is all about trying to determine what one should do, which requires criticizing principles, predicting outcomes, gaining knowledge, and reflecting on motives among many other things. Every person with both reason and free will is obliged to take responsibility for every action, although he may not be actively continuing to reflect,

Strategy implementation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategy implementation - Essay Example The second step that StilSim Company needs to work on is statement of values, support and maintains it. Stilsim Company needs to make a list of actions and strategies to help the company to succeed. An organizational design, Stilsim Company needs an organizational structure to help determine the risks that come in the way of StilSim Company as well as making a backup plan in case this plan did not work. StilSim Company needs to utilize a behavioral control system and contemporary control as well as establishing reward and incentive to create a high performance culture. Finally, it is important for StilSim Company to be ethical in their line of work as well as making plans for any legal issues that exists. With all this implementation we can definitely say it is a new beginning and era for StilSim Company to dominate the competition and the market. We know people. Our name StilSim was created to reflect the excitement we feel about our business. It flows from the public recognition that we receive for our work and the applause we get in the community and marketplace. It is different, because we are different! With three offices in Central Ohio, and over twenty five years of experience our Ohio workforce consists of huge number of registered associates providing flexible staffing to our clientele’s accounts annually. Our extensive experience in this business community helps us understand the challenges in our marketplace therefore we can supply you with the quality staffing and services to meet those challenges. StilSim Company values integrity, honesty, quality customer service, openness, personal excellence, continual self improvement and mutual respect. We are committed to our customers and cliental. We have the passion to provide the best service out there. We hold ourselves accountable to our customers, shareholders, partners, and employees by honoring our commitments, and providing results. Our brochures and handbook will be provided to our

American Literature Exam question Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

American Literature Exam question - Coursework Example Linda is denied the right to raise her own children, as are many other black women. Slaves are not allowed to marry whom they choose, and a black husband and wife sometimes are not allowed to live together. White men father children with black women, but lack absolutely any kind of parental obligation towards the children, and in some cases, like with Mr. Sands, may be tempted to sell them to get out of financial trouble. We see that the hatred slavery enforces distorts the most basic of all emotions: that of a parent towards his child. The lack of freedom and basic human rights does not affect only individuals, but all social structures. Normal human relationships inside and outside of a family cannot survive the devastating influence of the slavery system which deliberately dehumanizes black people, shamelessly stripping them off their dignity and rights as human beings.

Strategic Plan (for school) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategic Plan (for school) - Essay Example Within the context of the paper, be sure to address the following components: In making a school prestigious in it's community, the principal, the teachers, and the staffs would provide and give their all in achieving this goal. It may take time, but as long as there is a will, ways will be available. In the past, where a basic degree was considered a rarity, it has now basically become a necessity, and it is to this degree that we shall find our students reaching standards greater than this. Even as we speak, the world is demanding more, and we find the need to meet these increasingly difficult demands. As a school set up for the people of Walnut City, we will support our community, its parents and its students to their goal to excellence in our society. At Apache High School, our students shall graduate and be imbibed with wide knowledge and fine character. (142 words) Apache High School is located in Walnut City, in Arizona less than one mile from the international border with Mexico. It is the sole public high school within Walnut City. The current campus, which opened over 25 years ago, is comprised of several buildings spread out on a campus that mimics that of a junior-college setting. The original plans were for the high school to house up to 1, 000 students.

Analysis of how both companies meet their financial objectives and aims Essay Example for Free

Analysis of how both companies meet their financial objectives and aims Essay In this report I have decided to concentrate on two companies, Woolworths plc and WHSmith plc, I will be analysing and comparing the two companies on their objectives (what they say their objectives are, and how they meet those objectives set) and their performances (if they have made profit or loss). I will research all these from their annual report, which is provided on the Internet. An introduction of both companies Woolworths is known to be one of Britains leading general merchandise retailers, with great brands, strong market position and a powerful presence in home entertainment. The company has one of the highest customer shoppers performances of all UK retailers and today known to be the largest non-food retail chains. WHSmith is also one of the UKs leading retail groups incorporating market-leading companies in retailing publishing and news distributing. WHSmith has 1,464 stores world-wide; all these locate in place like the UK high street, airport, stations and countries outside of the United Kingdom such as North America and Asia The performance of the companies Last year was an eventful and challenging year for the Woolworth; the first half of the year when they were still part of Kingfishers plc was a moment of uncertainty as the future of the company was being decided. The company detached themselves from Kingfisher plc on 28 August 2001, leaving them with 200 million of debt, over ? 100 million of excess stock, loss marking new format and e-business. Woolworths formats are designed to appeal to the value-conscious consumer. Woolworths is a mass-market retailer with a leading brand and broad product offering at competitive prices. Their mission is to be at the heart of the community and the best loved retailer for kids, home and family leisure. The companys brand is known to be one of the best-recognised retail brands in the UK and proving this is on average, 6. 5 million customer transactions are made on tills per week. Woolworths business operates in the UK general merchandising market, which is both large and highly fragmented, with participants of varying sizes and covering different category mixes.

The Impact Of Assigned Components Of A Designated Measure Essay Example for Free

The Impact Of Assigned Components Of A Designated Measure Essay Introduction In carrying out valuation of companies, there are many methods that are used. Among them include asset valuation models, discounted cash flow models, abnormal earnings model. In valuing the company using future cash flow valuation method the net operating profit after tax, operating current assets and other figures are used. The main aim of valuation is to find the fair value of the company prices.    This is called discount cash flow models. Assets based model assigns a value to the firm by aggregating market values of assets and liabilities to enable in getting the fair value. There is a possibility that the value of the firm exceeds the value of the sum of assets and liabilities in this valuation method. When these figures are used, we assume that the valuation is based on the book value. Operating current assets. Every company that is in business of manufacture, retail, distribution has in it financial statements current assets. Current assets form an integral part of the assets of the company. Current assets include inventory, cash at hand and bank, short term investments such as notes, promissory notes, treasury bills and bonds and other short term investments. This forms part of the working capital of the organization. They help in the day to day running of the organization since they provide quick resources for those in the company. Operating current assets are grouped into two: those that are easily convertible to cash and those that are not easily converted. The easily convertible to cash include short term investments like treasury bills and bonds, cash at bank and at hand. Those that are not easily convertible include stock or inventory. Cash is the real amount of money that is in bank or at hand it can be used in need current obligations as to when they fall due.   It is realized from collections of sales or data. Data is another cash item which is easily convertible and forms part of the operating current assets. Data arises from the sale of goods and services on credit facilities. Marketable short term investments are the securities which can be sold to the market on any working day there fore it is easily convertible to cash. Stock or inventory is items for sale in an organization. The business cannot survive without stock. It consists of raw materials purchased for manufacture, work in progress (WIP), materials that have been badly processed into finished goods and finished goods which is the final product meant for the market. There fore if there is operating current assets in a company, the above components are considered to be important. The role of operating current assets in determining the price per share. Current assets forms part of the assets of the company. While determining price per share of the company, all the value of assets is added less reliabilities. The method used, the future cash flow valuation considers all assets less liabilities to arrive at capital employed by the company or net worthy of assets. Then the net worth of the assets is subjected to division using the number of shares of the company to arrive at the price value of the share. The net worth of assets is equivalent to the equity of the firm. This method is used during acquisitions. The role of operating current assets in determining the price value per share. In arriving at the price value per share in this method, operating current assets have been used. In arriving net operating working capital of 104088.5, 10500.3, 1100250, operating current liabilities has been subtracted from operating current assets. These figures arrived at is added to net fixed assets to arrive at net operating capital. The net operating capital will eventually be used in determining the difference in the investment in capital. In this case, investment in capital in year 2002 has been arrived at by subtracting the totals of net operating capital of 315042.3- 303088.5 to get 11953.8   to arrive at return on capital, the figure of the previous year of 303,088.05 has been subjected to division by net operating capital. Therefore, operating current assets has been used effectively in determining investment in capital which is in return used to calculate return on capital employed.   In arriving at the future cash flows that are used in calculating the price per share of the company are arrived at by subtracting the net operating profit after tax i.e.net operating profit after tax – investment in capital. The figure arrived at of 35.1 is comparable to the figures arrived at of EVA based on return on investment capital.   Therefore from the explanation provided, the role of operating current assets is shown. References Mayberry Personal Receivers from 2002 to 2003, annual accounts White G.I, Sondhi A.C and Fried D.(1997), The Analysis and Use of Financial Statements; John Wiley Sons Inc., New York.

rates of chemical reactions- lo3 questions

rates of chemical reactions- lo3 questions Rates of Chemical Reactions- LO3 Questions 1.1 Two Grand-Pa tablets would have the same effect as one Grand-Pa powder this is because Grand-Pa Headache Tablets each contain, Aspirin: 226,8mg, Paracetamol: 162,0mg and Caffeine: 32,4mg where as Grand-Pa Headache Powders each contain Aspirin: 453,6mg, Paracetamol: 324,0 mg and Caffeine: 64,8 mg thus to obtain the same dosage of ingredients, twice the dosage, thus one would have to take two tablets to equal one powder. 1.2 Drinking them with warm water will allow for a faster reaction rate thus allowing the effect of the pain killer to work faster. Also, if the powder is dissolved into a small amount of water then the solution will be more concentrated and will therefore be able to get to work in a more effective manner quicker, which will allow for the powder to work quicker in relief of pain. 1.3 The granules in the powder have a larger combined surface area than that of a tablet, which results in a reaction with the water to be done quicker with the powder for, resultant of the larger exposed surface area of the granules, more reactions occur/are allowed to occur at a quicker rate between the reacting particles. The tablet, being comprised of compounded granules together, the collisions between the reacting particles is limited for the surface area of one whole tablet is less than the combined surface area of granules. Therefore less reactions are allowed/do occur, therefore the powders provide faster relief than the tablets for they react faster with the water and thus will work faster in supplying pain relief. 1.4Total: 453.6mg+324.0mg+64.8mg=842.4mg Aspirin: (453.6mg/842.4mg) * 100/1=53.85% Paracetemol: (324.0mg/842.4mg)*100/1=38.46% Caffeine: (64.8mg/842.4mg)*100/1=7.69% 1.5 Symptoms of Overdose Aspirin: These include dizziness, tinnitus, sweating, nausea, vomiting, mental confusion, hyperventilation, respiratory alkalosis, metabolic acidosis, ketosis and depression of the central nervous system. In children serious signs of overdosage may develop rapidly. May include: burning pain in the throat/stomach, confusion, mental/mood changes, fainting, weakness, ringing in the ears, fever, rapid breathing, change in the amount of urine, seizures and loss of consciousness. Paracetamol: Liver damage which may be fatal may only appear after a few days. Symptoms of overdosage include nausea and vomiting. Acute intoxication causes kidney failure. Pallor, nausea, vomiting, anorexia and abdominal pain. Liver damage may become apparent 12 to 48 hours after ingestion. Abnormalities of glucose metabolism and metabolic acidosis may occur. In severe poisoning: hepatic failure may progress to encephalopathy, haemorrhage, cerebral endema (brain swelling), and death. Cardiac arrhythmias and pancreatitis have been reported. Caffeine: Large doses may cause restlessness, excitement, muscle tremor, tinnitus, scintillating scotoma, tachycardia, extrasystoles, restlessness, nervousness, excitement, insomnia, flushed face, dieresis (frequent urination), gastrointestinal disturbance, muscle twitches, rambling flow of thought and speech, tachycardia or cardiac arythmia (fluctuating heart patterns), periods of inexhaustibility (continuous awareness) and psychomotor agitation ( trouble sitting still and being calm). 1.6 I would advise them not to, because they are already coffee addicts they are probably taking in a lot of caffeine already thus to take the Grand-Pa powders would increase their risk of an overdose. It also has the ability to enhance the effects of paracetamol and aspirin so not only will the caffeine have an effect on the persons body in an overdose situation, but the other contents of the Grand-Pa powders, namely the aspirin and the paracetamol will also have an effect on the body, and the combination of all three of them in an overdose situation will result in certain kidney failure and death resultantly. 2.1 The surface area of wood flour is great, because it is composed of grains which are very small this would cause for a large, sudden explosive effect should the cigarette ignition come into contact with the wood flour. The concentration of the reactants (the wood flour) is great having the granules that are very small and in piles together. Should the ignition/flame from the cigarette come into contact with the piles of the wood flour an explosive effect, resultant of the concentration of the wood flour. The application of the heat to the piles of wood flour will result in the reaction, for the increase in heat will result in a reaction and will work in supplying the sudden reaction of the wood flour parts. The smoking of a cigarette is also banned because cigarette ash can serve as a catalyst and when coming into contact and mixing with wood flour it can become a highly volatile blend. The owners of these mills do not wish to lose their supply and suffer damages to their faciliti es thus; they prohibit people from smoking or bringing fire or ignited material into the mill. A dust explosion is the explosive combustion of a dust suspended in air in an enclosed location, which results in harmful effects of overpressure, thermal radiation, and ensuing projectiles. Many materials which are commonly known to combust can generate a dust explosion, such as coal, sawdust, and magnesium. However, many otherwise mundane materials can also lead to a dangerous dust cloud such as grain, flour, sugar, powdered milk and pollen. Mining of coal leads to coal dust and flour mills likewise have large amounts of flour dust as a result of milling. A similar problem occurs in saw mills and other places dedicated to carpentry. The dust must also consist of very small particles, where the surface area is very large, and so will support combustion. Dust is defined as powders with particles less than about 500 micrometres in diameter, but finer dust will present a much greater hazard than coarse particles by virtue of the larger surface area. There are five necessary conditions for a dust explosion: A combustible dust; (Flour or Wood Flour) The dust is suspended in the air at a proper concentration; (Possible) There is an oxidant (typically atmospheric oxygen); (Possible) The dust is confined; (Yes) There is an ignition source. (Provided by cigarette) Thus there is a high risk of a dust explosion already and the cigarette would just complete the necessary conditions by providing an ignition source. 2.2.1 Use of Oxidant Concentration Reduction Use of Deflagration venting through a dust retention and flame-arresting device 2.2.2 Use of Deflagration venting Use of Deflagration pressure containment Use of Deflagration suppression Use of masks to ensure the reduction of the inhalation of the wood flour. 2.3 1. As an absorbent Absorbent qualities are utilized in cleansers to remove unwanted water, oils, or greases from such articles as delicate machinery parts, jewellery, and furs, or to carry cleansing, poisonous, or other chemical agents to an object. In the manufacture of dynamite, the extreme sensitivity of the explosive agent can be reduced to safe levels by solidifying the liquid nitro-glycerine by absorbing it in a solid medium such a3 wood flour. 2. As decorative material Wood flour is used decoratively in the production of â€Å"oatmeal† and â€Å"velvet† wallpapers, where decoration by design and texture is provided by wood flour, coloured as desired, onto a prepared paper surf ace. 3.1Iron (a porous iron catalyst prepared by reducing magnetite, Fe3O4) Osmium is a much better catalyst for the reaction but is very expensive. 3.2 A catalyst such as an iron catalyst is used to speed up the reaction by lowering the activation energy so that the N2 bonds and H2 bonds can be more readily broken. The catalyst has no affect whatsoever on the position of the equilibrium. Adding a catalyst doesnt produce any greater percentage of ammonia in the equilibrium mixture. Its only function is to speed up the reaction. In the absence of a catalyst the reaction is so slow that virtually no reaction happens in any sensible time. The catalyst ensures that the reaction is fast enough for a dynamic equilibrium to be set up within the very short time that the gases are actually in the reactor. Catalysts lower the activation energy in a reaction by holding particles onto their surface and pointing them into the right direction for a product to form, which in this case is Ammonia. This catalyst, Iron (Fe3O4) , is used for it is ideal for allowing the nitrogen (N2 (g) ) and hydrogen (3H2 (g) )reactants to react and form the produ cts which entails Ammonia (2NH3 (l) ) rapidly. 3.3Ammonia; NH3 (l) 3.4 Fertilizer: Approximately 83% (as of 2003) of ammonia is used as fertilizers either as its salts or as solutions. Consuming more than 1% of all man-made power, the production of ammonia is a significant component of the world energy budget. Cleaner: Household ammonia is a general purpose cleaner that can be used on many surfaces. Because ammonia results in a relatively streak-free shine, one of its most common uses is to clean glass, porcelain and stainless steel. It is also frequently used for cleaning ovens and soaking items to loosen baked-on or caked-on grime. As a fuel: Ammonia was used during World War II to power buses in Belgium, and in engine and solar energy applications prior to 1900. Liquid ammonia was used as the fuel of the rocket airplane, the X-15. Although not as powerful as other fuels, it left no soot in the reusable rocket engine and its density approximately matches that for the oxidizer, liquid oxygen, which simplified the aircrafts design.

Antigone Son :: essays research papers

In one of the three plays of Sophocles, â€Å"The Antigone† we come across a character who is trying to change the mind of a king who is his own father. In the middle of the play the character Haemon comes and tells Creon, â€Å" I beg you, do not be unchangeable: Do not believe that you alone can be right. The man who thinks that, The man who maintains that only he has the power to reason correctly, the gifts to speak, the soul – a man like that, when you know him, turns out empty. It is not reason never to yield to reason!† Haemon tells his father this because he realizes that Creon is not going to change his mind on executing Antigone. Haemon realizes that the approach his father has taken towards this situation was wrong and that he is also wrong with his final decision. Antigone is the women who Haemon is suppose to marry and she is sent to die by Creon because she broke the rules that Creon set. The rule of the state that Antigone broke was that she gave he r brother Polynices a proper burial knowing that Creon declared him as an enemy of the state and did not deserve the burial. Antigone had a right to bury her brother and she did do the right thing by going against Creon’s rules. Not everyone in this play including Creon did not realize what the life of Antigone was like as she was growing up. Knowing that your father was also your own brother must have brought plenty of pain in her life. Throughout the entire play the audience knows what the life of Antigone was like and know all the pain she has had in her life. Most of her family has already past away and all the family she had left were her two brothers and her sister. Once she realizes that her two brothers are also gone she wants to give them both the proper burial that they deserve because they to experienced the same amount of pain that Anitgone faced in the course of her life. Antigone probably wanted to give both her brothers a proper burial because she never got to give her mother or her father one. Her dad went into exile after finding out that he killed his own father and interacted in s exual intercourse with his own mother.

Parents Roles in Development of Eating Disorders: How Important is the

Parents' Roles in Development of Eating Disorders Introduction Much of the literature that focuses on the parents' role in the development of eating disorders is focused on the mother and the mother-daughter relationship. Studies have shown conclusively that a mother's body image and eating habits are, mirrored in her daughter, and that if she is obsessed with her own body image, it stands likely that her daughter will be the same way both growing up and in her adult life. The father, though, is often left out of the research except for in the basic family profile. Here, we will examine the active role that the father plays in the development of eating disorders in their daughters. First, we will explore why the father's ideas and how they are expressed can lead to an eating disorder. Next, we will discuss how a daughter's feelings are transformed into symptoms of eating disorders, and finally, we will conclude with how the relationship needs to change to help daughters recover from the vice of an eating disorder. The Ideas of the Father Since men in our society are "encouraged to achieve but not to feel" (Maine), fathering is often a difficult task for men, especially with their daughters because the relationship requires "more intimacy then most men can handle" (Maine). Men try to bond with their daughters oftentimes with gifts or compliments, but not with interaction into their lives. Daughters look up to their fathers and want to please them, so they look around to see what makes their fathers happy and try to emulate whatever it is. The first place to look is at the relationship the father has with the mother. If a girl has an average weight mother, but constantly hears her father encouraging her to diet or e... ...erved their most important role model do all their lives. Thus, the cycle continues unless fathers are willing to make the effort to reach out to their children in a way that teaches love and respect based not solely on appearance. Things can change, and father/daughter relationships are a crucial part of the ever-increasing developments towards the prevention and treatment of eating disorders. Works Cited 1. Bloom-Feshback. "Historical Perspectives on the Father's Role." In Lamb, M.E. (ed), The Role of the Father in Child Development. John Wiley Press, New York. 1981. 2. Bulimia and Anorexia Nervosa Association newsletter, Volume 13 Issue 3, Fall 1995. 3. Chemin, Kim. Reinventing Eye: Modem Woman In Search of Herself. Harper and Rowe, New York. 1987. 4. Maine, Margo. Father Hunger, Fathers, Daughters, and Food. Gurze Books, Carlsbad, CA. 199 1.

50 Shades of Grey Review

This book’s main characters consisted of Anastasia Steele, an independent, driven college student, who speaks is telling the story, and Christian Grey, CEO of Grey Enterprises Holdings and Co, and is portrayed throughout this book in a sense as if he is every girl’s dream guy. Anastasia is forced to interview Christian Grey for her roommate, Kat, because she had fallen ill. When Mr. Grey meets Anastasia, he is intrigued with her.He then starts to make appearances at her work to buy different items, which come to find out is used sexually for binding and arousal. She is skeptical when he shows up to her hardware store because of his status and wealth. He asks her out for coffee but only for him to draw away from her afterwards. She â€Å"kicks herself† for thinking he would want anything to do with her but he in reality, he withdraws for other reasons than what she had assumed.He sends her a number of really expensive, old school books that she had said she liked but didn’t feel comfortable keeping them because of how pricey they were. Christian comes over to her apartment and discusses the â€Å"contract† to her, which basically states that she will be his sex slave but will not do physical harm to the point of injury, but she lets him know that she is a virgin. Christian eventually ends up taking Anastasia’s virginity, but she still says she needs time to think about the contract, and whether or not she is going to sign it.She is open-minded and willing to trying new things, but more importantly, trying to be a part of his world. Due to the fact that she was inexperienced and unfamiliar with what people are sexually involved with, the crazy things she sees as a curse, she is open to try. He doesn’t want to show her â€Å"his world† all the way because he feels something different for her. She is not just like any of his other submissive partners, but when she asks for it, she experiences something she can ’t bare, and then leaves him.Due to this being the first book in a set of a trilogy, it ends with the reader anticipating more, and with much more of a story to tell. Overall the book was a good read and touched on some various topics that are discussed in our class. The main topics that were displayed in this book to me were the sexual response cycle, spontaneous vs. planned sex, intimacy, as well as the use of erotica and fantasy. The sexual response cycle is pretty apparent throughout the majority of the sex scenes in the book.Anastasia is clear to document her stages of arousal and climax during her moments with Christian Grey and is often times overwhelmed or subdued by what she is experiencing. â€Å"He leans down and kisses me, his fingers still moving rhythmically inside me, his thumb circling and pressing. His other hand scoops my hair off my head and holds my head in place. His tongue mirrors the actions of his fingers, claiming me. My legs begin to stiffen as I pu sh against his hand. He gentles his hand, so I’m brought back from the brink †¦I come instantly again and again, falling apart beneath him †¦ then I’m building again †¦ I climax anew, calling out his name. † (pg. 195, 196) I also noticed the correlation between spontaneous sex and intimacy. It seems that when the sex was planned in this book, there was more intent to have casual sex and heavily influenced with lust. When the sex scenes were spontaneous, the intimacy levels were definitely increased, and often times it seemed as if the sex was more meaningful. Before I know it, he’s got both of my hands in his viselike grip above my head, and he’s pinning me to the wall using his lips †¦ His other hand grabs my hair and yanks down, bringing my face up, and his lips are on mine †¦ My tongue tentatively strokes his and joins his in a slow, erotic dance. † (pg. 78) The main points of this book focused around the topic of f antasy’s and the use of erotica. Christian Grey is into dominance and submissive styles of sex, and makes it very apparent to Anastasia that this is what he enjoys.Since Anastasia was a virgin at the beginning of the story, she was oblivious to how adventurous and creative sex can be. â€Å"At the touch of leather, I quiver and gasp. He walks around me again, trailing the crop around the middle of my body. On his second circuit, he suddenly flicks the crop, and it hits me underneath my behind †¦ against my sex †¦ The shock runs through me, and it’s the sweetest, strangest, hedonistic feeling †¦ My body convulses at the sweet, stinging bite. My nipples harden and elongate from the assault, and I moan loudly, pulling on my leather cuffs. † (pg. 323)

Case Study 3m

Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Company Case Study Table of contents Table of contents Page 1 Introduction to 3M Page 2 Market and products Page 2 Performance over the last 5 years Page 3 International Marketing Activities Page 4 Miscellaneous Topics Page 6 Appendix 1 Page 7 References Page 8 Introduction to 3M 3M Company, the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, was founded in 1902 by five businessmen. They wanted to make a profit out of minerals for grinding wheel abrasives, but this failed to really take off. Their real success lay in the encouragement towards innovative employees, which resulted in several exclusive products such as waterproof sandpaper and masking tape. The search for new products and innovations became their core business from then on. Despite several failures in the first years 3M continued growing and coming up with new innovative products such as the now famous Scotch tape. In 1929 3M went international as well as traded their first stock and in 1949 they became listed on the New York Stock Exchange [3M Timeline]. By the 1950s it had international sales amounting to $20 million. In 1960 and 1970 it kept growing and released a line of board games which was very successful. They also produced their only traffic signal around this time, one that is still being used today. In the late 1970s the company was involved in some of the first digital audio recordings and in the 1980s it invented the Post-it notes [Haeg 2002]. The company is still growing today and now has over 130 factories employing some 67. 000 people. Its international sales increased tenfold since 1950, now amounting to a staggering $22 billion [3M Press Release 2006]. M is currently working on focusing on its core businesses and they intend to sell some of their product lines. Their current business model focuses on â€Å"the ability to not only develop unique products, but also to manufacture them efficiently and consistently around the world† [3M Timeline]. Markets and products The market position of 3M depends on which market you look at. Its consumer and office business products are sol d in more than 80 countries. Some of the worldwide-known products of 3M in this market are Scotch ®, Post-it ®, Scotch-Brite ®, Scotchgard, Filtreteâ„ ¢, Commandâ„ ¢ and Nexcareâ„ ¢. M distinguishes their products from other products by providing high quality and value for money. In the display and graphics business 3M has three core businesses which all hold the market-leadership position and are registering solid growth. The three core businesses of 3M in this market are the commercial graphics market, the transportation safety market and film market. 3M is the market leader in the health care business providing medical, dental and orthodontic products, and drug delivery and health information systems. In this market 3M is registering strong growth with the sale of branded pharmaceuticals. An example of a product in the medical market is 3M’s Petrifilm plates which are used by food processors to help provide healthy food. In the industrial and transportation market 3M is not holding a leadership position. They are showing solid growth in this market by building core businesses and by expanding into large adjacent markets. 3M believes that the oil, gas and do-it-yourself car-care are two markets that will contribute to their growth. In 2005 they acquired CUNO Inc. , a global leader in the liquid filtration market, which gave 3M the possibility to grow into a new market segment. M is also a market leader in the safety, security and protection service business. Especially due to the large demand for safety nowadays the company is doing very well in this market. They generate more than 60 percent of their sales outside the U. S. by selling occupational health and environmental safety products, security systems and building safety solutions. The company is doing well internationally and their global presence is their main competitive advantage which enables them to capitalize on the rapid growth of manufacturing in emerging economies. To meet the worldwide demand, 3M is constructing a new plant in Korea, expanding production in the U. S. and through selective acquisition. Performance over the last 5 years Looking at performance is always a hard thing to do, because it can be measured in many different ways such as stockholders value, value for the community or whether or not the company provides stable profits and growth of profit. We will try to highlight all aspects of performance but the main focus will be on the financial part of the company. Firstly, when looking at the share prices of 3M compared to the Dow Jones Index, which is the weighted value of the biggest American firms, one can see that over the last five years 3M’s share value grew by 20% while the Dow Jones Index showed a 40% growth. In other words, most other companies showed a considerably larger growth. It should be noted, though, that 3M shows to be a stable company over longer period of time, without excessive drops in share prices, which means there is little to no risk involved in investing in 3M. On top of the increased value of the shares, the stockholders received a steady dividend of 1. % on average over the last 5 years. Because of a growth in profit the payments of dividend tend to increase over time and the expectations for the future are increasing profits if only a few percentages a year. Secondly, we will compare 3M’s performance to that of its main competitors; specifically the other large conglomerates: Johnson and Johnson and Avery Dennison. When we compare the growth of revenue 3M is somewhat behind on its competitors, as Johnson and Johnson obtained a growth rate of 16%, Avery one of 13% and 3M only 7. 3% over the last 4 quarters. Remarkably then, 3M showed the greatest increase in share prices over the last five years. This shows the strength and trust in the company, because people are not likely to invest in a company they don't believe in. We will now try to see what this company meant for society. It's clear that 3M is a big employer with 76,239 employees. No big redundancies can be found in the last five years. Furthermore there are no scandals involving things such as child labor or misuse of the environment. In short, 3M is a stable employer, which does little or nothing wrong. International Marketing Activities Segmentation The 3M Company operates as a diversified technology company worldwide. By segmenting its business it increased speed and efficiency by sharing technological, manufacturing, marketing and other resources. 3M operates in the following six segments: Industrial and Transportation; Health Care; Display and Graphics; Consumer and Office; Safety, Security, and Protection Services; and Electro and Communications. Each segment has its own targeting group, which the name of each segment already pretty much reveals. Distribution As 3M originally being an American company, it is now operating throughout the whole world. In 2006, 61% of the company’s sales were international, while 39% of sales were in the U. S. But still 57% of 3M’s operations were in the U. S compared with 43% internationally. The company hopes to bring this number of operations internationally up to 55% by 2012 [Ackerman 2007]. New plants will increase capacity geographically and improve some production facilities. Plants are now being built in Korea, China, Russia, Poland, India and Turkey. Streamlining efficiencies in distribution and logistics will lower costs and reduce working capital needs [Rick 2007]. This means that operating in these markets becomes easier due to a decreasing in the channel length. Still, 3M products are sold through numerous distribution channels, which is necessary. Products are sold directly to users and through several wholesalers, distributors, retailers and dealers in wide variety of trades in many countries around the globe. 3M’s management believes the confidence of these distribution channels in 3M and its products, developed through long association with skilled marketing and sales representatives, has added considerably to 3M’s position in the marketplace and to its growth. M has 189 sales offices worldwide, with 15 in the U. S. and 174 internationally [Campbell 2005]. Product Policy When operating in advanced economies’ industries, it is important to adjust marketing strategies accordingly to the situation. 3M is offering such a wide range of products, that it is sometimes necessary to standardize these products. â€Å"With well -known products such as Scotch tape and Post-it notes, the company enjoys a broad portfolio of products that address the needs of just about every economic sector that exists in just about every geography that one can think of [Rick 2007]†. When looking at just one of the business segments of 3M, the company says they are a global leader in the Industrial and Transportation Business with products such as tapes abrasives, adhesives, filtration systems, etc. It is easy to standardize these products because these products are associated with cultural universals; that is, when consumers from different countries share similar need characteristics and therefore want essentially identical products. An important point of product policy is cost advantage. To reach this cost advantage, the firm must keep its product cost competitive by eliminating unnecessary options. Then it is desirable to offer a standardized product with a standard package of features or options included. The simplicity of these products offered by 3M is a strength regarding to standardization [Onkvisit and Shaw 2004]. Take for example Scotch Crystal Clear Tape. This product is a great example of a standardized product. Its package contains a small description in eleven different languages while still made in the USA. Essentially, the main marketing goal is to maximize profit. Pricing and Promotion strategies Many of 3M’s products are standardized, but not all. This means that their not asking a premium price for the majority of its products. On March 21, 2003 after only a 4-month development and implementation project the company launched â€Å"3M Marketing Online† in Europe. 3M was already looking for a new application that would centralize all marketing strategies between the European entity and other 3M European subsidiaries. M Marketing Online provides a powerful sales and marketing knowledge base, centralizing all information necessary, such as market research, best practices, promotions and not to forget pricelists. This application allowed 3M to significantly simplify the information distribution processes for their sales network. Having such many different brands as 3M implies many different promotion strategies. But one strategy that would cover the whole entity is choosing a name that reflects its character, brand promise and position in the market place. The 3M name fits well in 21st century global market, even though the company already exists over a hundred years. The original registered name was the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company and the name ‘3M Co’ first appeared in a diamond shape in 1906 complete with company’s full name and its Duluth, Minnesota headquarters location around it. Today’s familiar internationally recognisable red 3M logo was introduced in the 1970s and is a highly prized asset. It is not just a symbol of corporate identity; it is also a trademark and brand [Wnim 2002]. Miscellaneous Topics M states on their website: â€Å"Community giving is an important part of 3M’s sustainability strategy† [3M Community]. Further research taught us that this is not a lie. 3M’s community giving is extensive; examples are philanthropy, employee volunteerism and donations, 3M cash gifts and donated products. 3M says it invests in the communities where it has facilities. Although this does not distinguish 3M from other Multinational Corporations (MNCs), who also fund projects in the regions they have facilities, what does distinguish 3M is that they are among the leaders in workplace volunteerism. Employees are stimulated to pass their knowledge on to the locals. An example is the 3M Science Encouragement Programs, where 3M scientists and engineers share skills and career inspiration with students and scholars [3M Volunteerism] As just mentioned 3M also spends a lot on community giving, the giving goes to: K-12 education, health & human services, environment, higher education, arts, culture and volunteerism. Since mathematics, science and economics are fields that 3M depends on for their future it is not just charity to fund projects to increase student achievement in mathematics, science and economics [3M K12]. It is also in the interest the company as well as their higher education project. With these projects, 3M makes itself known to the students and creates goodwill among students. The one thing that is the same in all the projects is that they are focused on the people or environment in the community where 3M has a factory or facility. This varies from giving lectures to taking care for the local environment. _ _Another program that shows 3M’s involvement with the communities is their matched gift program. Every employee and retiree of 3M that makes a cash donation to a good cause will get a matching donation from 3M. This means that every dollar donated will be matched by one dollar by 3M. Each donation will be doubled by 3M with a maximum of $40,000. The main goal to all the community giving projects of 3M is that 3M wants their employees to contribute, whether this is by giving workshops and transfer their knowledge or via donation. 3M wants to contribute in the communities where they have a facility, and wants their employees and retirees to do so as well [3M Community Giving]. Appendix 1 Consumer and Office market: Display and Graphics market: *Includes $39 million of restructuring expenses Electro and Communications market: *Includes $46 million of restructuring expenses Health Care market: *Includes $673 million of net gains primarily related to the gain on the sale of a portion of the pharmaceuticals business, partially offset by restructuring and other items Industrial and Transportation Business *Includes $15 million of restructuring expenses Safety, Security and Protection Services market *Includes $10 million of restructuring expenses Source: http://www. 3m. com References Haeg, Andrew. â€Å"3M at 100 – on the right path for growth?. 10 JUNE 2002 30 MAR 2008 http://news. minnesota. publicradio. org/features/200206/03_haega_3Mhistory/. â€Å"Historical Timeline. † 3M. 3M. 31 Mar 2008 http://solutions. 3m. com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/our/company/information/history/timeline/2000-firsts. â€Å"Product & Services. † 3M. 3M. 31 Mar 2008 http://solutions. 3m. com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Products/ProdServ. http://www. 3m. com/intl/sg/markets. html>  "3M Businesses. † 3M. 3M. 31 Mar 2008 http://solutions. 3m. com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/our/company/information/business. â€Å"Community Giving. † 3M. 3M. 1 Mar 2008 http://solutions. 3m. com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/global/sustainability/stakeholders/community. â€Å"3M Volunteers. † 3m. 3M. 31 Mar 2008 http://solutions. 3m. com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/CommunityAffairs/CommunityGiving/US/Volunteerism. † K-12 Education Giving. † 3M. 3M. 31 Mar 2008 http://solutions. 3m. com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/CommunityAffairs/CommunityGiving/US/K12/. â€Å"What's in a Name?. † This Issue (2007) 31 Mar 2008 http://www. wnim. com/archive/issue2504/WhatsNewInMarketing-3M. htm. â€Å"3M Drives Improvements in Marketing Productivity with InStranet and

How the family changed over time Essay

How the family has changed over time? The institution of the family has changed dramatically over last 50 years and the main sociological perspectives, functionalism, Marxism, feminism and interactionism have described this changes in terms of family structure, divorce rates, marriage rate and gender roles. Defining family in Britain is problematic as until 1960’s few sociologists questioned the importance of the benefits of the family. Family is a group of people living together related by blood or marriage who support themselves economically and emotionally. It was assumed that the family was evolving with the change in Britain. From the 1960’s , with increasing divorce rates, living together before marriage, single parent families, one person households , separation and migration, family traditionally seen as nuclear (based on two adults and children) became harder to define. Sociologists have concluded that the family has become harder to define in the more traditional sense. A family can now consist of any group of people living together and/or bringing up children. This could separate due to divorce and another family created through remarriage or cohabitation, with the introduction of step children or children born to the new parentage resulting in another family unit although the first one still technically exists. There are two basic types of family structure: extended and nuclear. Functionalists say industrialization changed the function of the family. In pre-industrial society the extended family was most prevalent. Families lived and collaborated in engendering goods and crops to live from, taking the surplus to market. In industrial society, the nuclear family becomes ascendant. Status for an individual in pre-industrial society was ascribed. Talcott Parsons (1956) presumed that in industrial society an individual’s status is achieved by their prosperity. The nuclear family is the best way to achieve prosperity as individuals. Family structure adapts to the changing circumstances. Changes in economic, political, and moral approach led to the transformation of the family structure. Postmodern times in which we live in a time of tolerance, emancipation of women, legalization and acceptance of homosexual relationships. All these changes meant that more and more people moved away from the traditional model of the family, universal fifty years ago. Statistics indicate an increasing number of households about 9. 2 million since 1961 but that is due to the increase amount of the divorce, migration, remarried people, single people and increase in length of life. At the same time the increase amount of households decreased their size and the average number of children due to widespread access to the contraception, abortion, aging population and costs associated with children’s maintenance. More women are also delaying having children because they focusing on work and education seeing role of the mother as a barrier. It is related to ‘child centric’ model of the family, which learn society to treat children’s as the most ‘precious’ , whom one must completely conform their lives to them . Most mothers deciding to give a birth at age 30-34. Although, life style changes have also caused decrease in married couples amount which is also related to religious approach, because from 1981, when only 49% of all marriages were civil marriages, at 2010, already 68,2 % of all marriages where civil marriages. However, married couple are still the most common type of the family. The functionalist view of the role of the family in society is that it maintains social order for benefits of all. The family is a tool for primary socialization and a key social institution in sustaining the value consensus (Harambolos 2008).Murdock (1949) claimed that family was universal. It is defined as a social group characterised by common residence, economic co-operation and reproduction. A family lives in the same home, has economic co-operation usually through the division of labour where the man will take on the instrumental role and provide for the family while the woman will adopt the expressive role and take care of the home and family members. Unfortunately, that’s the most common image of division of labour for as much, men, are more likely to help at housework or child care presently, it still seen as a responsibility of women. Marxists would contest this viewpoint, arguing that the division of labour is capitalist dogma used to control the labour force and stop them from developing class consciousness. Marxism looks at the methods of control of the ruling class (bourgeoisie) in determining the way society is organised. The family is seen as part of the structure of society and is one of a number of social institutions which helps maintain the capitalists system. Marxists state that it is the requirements of the system that has come to shape the family in modern societies. From this perspective view, society revolves around the infrastructure and social superstructure. The family helps to maintain this system. Friedrich Engels (1884) provides a basis for the Marxist view of the family were strongly linked to the evolution of the capitalist system. He also explored the concept of monogamy and argued that the monogamous nuclear family developed with the emergence of private ownership of the ‘means of production’. Engels stated that this system is maintained by the socialisation of capitalist social norms and values. Marxists do not see this as benefitting the family at all, only the system, and therefore this helps support their theory that family exists as a largely negative institution. Both of these sociological perspective see the role of the family in the opposite way, but in the meantime both of them describing family as a unit of socialization. On the other hand functionalists assume that the family is a positive and beneficial institution in which family members receive nurturing, care and unconditional love which helps keep society functioning well. However, this is not always the case, when it comes to domestic violence, divorce and child abuse. All couples and families who were nuclear families or had potential to be were being ruined each day, providing that the functionalist’s view of a beneficial family was much overestimated. In comparison, Marxists state that family helps to maintain class differences in society as the rich can afford to give their children a better start in life than the poor, such as. pay for a better education, and get them a good job either in their own business or their friends business. Marxists believe the family socializes the working class to accept that it is fair that the classes are unequal. A different view on the family, presented by Feminists, focuses also on socialization but sees its effects in division of labour and gender role stereotyping. They states that family is bad for women. Girls and boys learn their different gender roles within the family through socialization. Girls copy their mothers, doing housework, whilst boys copy their fathers, doing DIY. They then learn that this is how male and female roles should be. Feminists believe that the family is male dominated- the term for this is patriarchal. Their theory is still relevant nowadays, because although more women are having careers it’s still expected from them to take care of children’s and home. Perceptions of roles is so deeply rooted in society that, despising the false image of a woman liberated, having range of capabilities which can freely pursue her dreams when in the end ,is still required from her to perform, in the meantime, the role of housewife. In contrast, interactionist state that the family assists in the construction of the identity for the social individual and looks at the society at a micro scale. In this perspective the family, through interaction helps the social individual to understand ‘self’ when feminists could argue that vision of how one should look like and behave originates from socialization. They also believe that family helps the social individual identify her/his social role without considering how institutions, class conflict and gender stereotyping influence on creation of those roles. In Great Britain the family is built on the concept of marriage with children had a very well-established position but during last century divorce rates increased 200%. Which is also reflected in the number of separations reported annually by 150,000 to 200,000 pairs per year. Some researchers place the cause of increased divorce on higher expectations (Fletcher, 1966). And given the rates of remarriage it is not the institution of marriage, or the ideology picturing lifelong happiness that is rejected, but an insufficient partner. (Denny1984) regards western style marriages based on romantic love as fragile because they are only held together by emotional ties. Another reason why divorce rates increased is that now considerably less social stigma and blame is attached to divorce. One of the main reasons for this phenomenon are changes in divorce law making it much easier to divorce now then for example 50 years ago. Statistics show that the number of children in divorcing couples declined from 153,000 to 104,000. However, this data does not take into account cohabitating couples whose separation is not recorded. The amount of cohabiting couples has increased significantly in recent years. In the majority of relationships still the most important are children’s. The average time spent with children nowadays by mothers is 2h 32 minutes and by fathers 2h 16 minutes when 50 years ago that that was only 25 minutes per day for both parent. Currently fathers are more involved in bringing up children, and the belief in the society that children are an extension of us and their success is our success modernized power image of the families. Is widely spread on the increasing number of single fathers to 178,000 from  60,000 from 1670. This shows how evolved the role of the father in the family. Increasingly, we find also reconstituted families where the connection partners cohabitation or marriage jointly raise children from a previous relationship. That happens because of the increased amounts of divorce and remarriage trends. Humans as far didn’t create any more successful structure t han family. But is nowadays family a well-functioning institution ? Very big influence on how present family looks like has mass media which are creating image how does family should look like which society is fallowing. Traditional family model become a consumption unit which glorifies children and parents are responsibility to make them happy and fulfill their all desires. All values and norms changed dramatically over time and people lost respect to institution like marriage. In conclusion family is still a basic part of the society but it evolved creating new forms of it. References: Haramolos, M & Holborn, M (2008) 7th Ed. Sociology, themes and perspectives, Harper Collins: London Scott,J. & Marshall, G (2009) Oxford dictionary of sociology , Oxford University Press: Oxford

Beka lamb by Zee Edgell Essay

The book deals with social insecurity, racial prejudice and the rule of the consecutive church in a small town. Beka’s best friend Toycie Qualo is older than she is, being 17 at the time when Beka was 14, and in her last year of school gets herself expelled when she gets into a situation where she becomes pregnant by her boyfriend Emilio Villanueva, and dies after a miscarriage and a short space of time in the local asylum nicknamed â€Å"Sea Breeze Hotel†. Through flashbacks, points on politics and independence are strongly brought out, since the political struggles for independence in Belize at that time also mirrors Beka’s own need for self-rule and her developing maturity. Beka’s father (Bill Lamb) cuts down Beka’s favorite tree (a bougainvillea) as a sign that the wild ways Beka had picked up must stop at once when she finally tells him that she has failed her exam. Her mother (Lilla Lamb) buys her a special book and pen in which she is told to write any lies or stories that she is tempted to tell, in an effort to curb her tale-telling habit. By the end of the book, Beka has transformed from â€Å"a flat-rate Belize creole† to a girl with â€Å"high mind†, since her troubles have forced her to learn the value of money, education, unity within the community and most of all, some manners and respect Beka Lamb is the debut novel of Belizean author Zee Edgell. It is the story of both Beka and Belize, an adolescent girl and an adolescent country. Set in Belize in the 1950s, fourteen-year-old Beka struggles with growing pains complicated by the society in which she lives while her country struggles to move from colonialism to independence. The novel opens with three seminal events. The young Creole teen, Beka, has just won an essay contest at St. Cecilia’s Catholic school, Beka’s lifelong friend Toycie has died (but the traditional nine-day wake has not been held for her), and two members of the Belizean Peoples’ Independent Party, Pritchard and Gladsen, are imprisoned for disloyalty to the British government. These events symbolize the often painful challenge of coping with growth and change. Narrated by flashbacks, the novel covers a period of seven months. While preparing for bed one night, Beka vows to â€Å"keep a wake† for her deceased friend Toycie â€Å"in the privacy of her own heart.† As she reminisces about the past months â€Å"waking the gone,† her story unfolds. Beka recalls that her life started to change the day she decided to stop lying. Her last lie was a big one. Failing three subjects, Beka had not been promoted to the next grade. Beka’s parents are struggling to pay for her private education. Fearing their reaction to her failure, Beka tells them that she passed, naively believing that they do not already suspect the truth. Beka’s lying habit is the most serious of the many conflicts she has with her parents. She does not clean the attic properly, she throws garbage into the yard, she steals money from her father’s pants pockets and she procrastinates with her chores. Beka’s mother, Lilla Lamb, often complains about Beka’s â€Å"laziness and ingratitude† to her husband, Bill Lamb, who then must discipline Beka. Beka seeks solace from her friend Toycie and her paternal grandmother, Granny Ivy, who shares a bedroom with Beka and usually takes her side. In spite of these parent-teen conflicts, Beka does have a loving relationship with her parents. Her family is one of only two nuclear families in the community, and while her parents do not love all that Beka does, they do love her. Beka begs her father for a second chance at school, promising to pass this time, and Bill Lamb eventually relents. A nun at Beka’s school, Sister Gabriela, takes Beka under†¦

Assessment Type

The general goal is to introduce and develop the skills needed to conceptualise a problem and a viable research topic. Students will make use of available literature, design a research strategy, evaluate, organise, and integrate relevant data (both existing and new), derive useful solutions, and communicate those solutions in an appropriate form to clients and colleagues. The module will prepare students to continue their own professional education and contribute to the development of the profession as a whole, at a standard commensurate with the current level of knowledge. The module surveys the basic processes of research methodology as practised in the social sciences. Underlying principles of science and logic are emphasised and special attention is directed toward the recognition of common sources of error and bias in the implementation and interpretation of research studies as it affects the outcomes of research utilisation. You are required to submit a research proposal. The content of the document produced by each student is required to cover the specific areas and to be within specific maximum word lengths (marks allocation and word lengths in brackets) as follows: 1. Title and Introduction. Form a clear title of a proposed research. Elaborate on the background of the industry and/or company to be researched as well as the problem or issue identified. Also explain the significance and rationale of the proposed research. (15 marks / 800 words maximum) 2. Research Questions. Construct the questions to be answered in the proposed research. (5 marks / 100 words maximum) 3. Research Objectives and Framework. State the research objectives in terms of the factors or causes identified (independent variables) and their relationships with the identified problem or issue (dependent variable). Following the stated objectives, construct a proposed research model or conceptual framework. (5 marks / 100 words maximum) 4. Literature Review. With reference to various relevant literatures, write a critical review and analysis of both the conceptual/theoretical and practical aspects of the identified problem/issue and factors/causes. (40 marks / 2,000 words maximum) 5. Research Methodology and Design. Elaborate the concept, types and approaches in research. Propose a research design for the research topic selected with detailed explanation on elements such as the sample, sample size, types and sources of information, collection methods and operationalisation or measurement of variables. (15 marks / 800 words maximum) 6. Ethical Considerations. Identify ethical issues involved and steps taken to prevent breach of research ethics. (5 marks / 100 words maximum) 7. Timescale or Gantt Chart. Construct a Gantt Chart in weeks that includes the stages and milestones of the research tasks and their respective time allocations. 5 marks / 100 words maximum) 8. References. Using the Harvard referencing system, provide a comprehensive list of references. (10 marks) Assessment Requirements: †¢ The submission of your work for assessment should be organised and clearly structured in a report format as outlined in 1. 0 to 8. 0 above. †¢ Maximum word length allowed is 4000 words, which includes sections 1. 0 to 7. 0 in the report. The word coun t excludes section 8. 0. †¢ This assignment is worth 100% of the final assessment of the module. Student is required to submit a type-written document in Microsoft Word format with Times New Roman font type, size 12 and line spacing of 1. 5. †¢ The Harvard Style of Referencing system is COMPULSORY. †¢ Indicate the sources of information and literature review by including all the necessary citations and references adopting the Harvard Referencing System. †¢ Students who have been found to have committed acts of Plagiarism are automatically considered to have failed the entire semester. If found to have breached the regulation for the second time, you will be asked to leave the course. Plagiarism involves taking someone else’s words, thoughts, ideas or essays from online essay banks and trying to pass them off as your own. It is a form of cheating which is taken very seriously. Take care of your work and keep it safe. Don’t leave it lying around where your classmates can find it. Malaysian Qualifications Agency Learning Outcomes Module Learning Outcomes: †¢ Demonstrate the skills necessary to assess and interpret existing research as a prelude to carrying out further investigation and the knowledge and understanding of range of research designs and their appropriate utilization. Conceptualise a problem; formulate hypotheses and objectives; design a research strategy, collecting, analyzing, and interpreting both quantitative and qualitative data, including commonly encountered statistical procedures. †¢ Understand the theoretical principles underlying inferential and descriptive statistics. †¢ Integrate the findings of existing research to ask a new research question. †¢ Engage in critical thinking when reading and comprehending research articles. Choose the most appropriate statistical analyses, interpret results, and write up the results accurately and completely. Notes on Plagiarism Harvard Referencing Plagiarism Plagiarism is passing off the work of others as your own. This constitutes academic theft and is a serious matter which is penalised in assignment marking. Plagiarism is the submission of an item of assessment containing elements of work produced by another person(s) in such a way that it could be assumed to be the student’s own work. Examples of plagiarism are: the verbatim copying of another person’s work without acknowledgement †¢ the close paraphrasing of another person’s work by simply changing a few words or altering the order of presentation without acknowledgement †¢ the unacknowledged quotation of phrases from another person’s work and/or the presenta tion of another person’s idea(s) as one’s own. Copying or close paraphrasing with occasional acknowledgement of the source may also be deemed to be plagiarism if the absence of quotation marks implies that the phraseology is the student’s own. Plagiarised work may belong to another student or be from a published source such as a book, report, journal or material available on the internet. Harvard Referencing The structure of a citation under the Harvard referencing system is the author’s surname, year of publication, and page number or range, in parentheses, as illustrated in the Smith example near the top of this article. †¢ The page number or page range is omitted if the entire work is cited. The author’s surname is omitted if it appears in the text. Thus we may say: â€Å"Jones (2001) revolutionized the field of trauma surgery. †¢ Two or three authors are cited using â€Å"and† or â€Å"†: (Deane, Smith, and Jones, 1991) or (Deane, Smith Jones, 1991). More than three authors are cited using et al. (Deane et al. 1992). †¢ An unknown date is cited as no date (Deane n. d. ). A reference to a reprint is cited with the original publication date in square brackets (Marx [1867] 1967 , p. 90). †¢ If an author published two books in 2005, the year of the first (in the alphabetic order of the references) is cited and referenced as 2005a, the second as 2005b. †¢ A citation is placed wherever appropriate in or after the sentence. If it is at the end of a sentence, it is placed before the period, but a citation for an entire block quote immediately follows the period at the end of the block since the citation is not an actual part of the quotation itself. †¢ Complete citations are provided in alphabetical order in a section following the text, usually designated as â€Å"Works cited† or â€Å"References. † The difference between a â€Å"works cited† or â€Å"references† list and a bibliography is that a bibliography may include works not directly cited in the text. †¢ All citations are in the same font as the main text. Examples Examples of book references are: †¢ Smith, J. (2005a). Dutch Citing Practices. The Hague: Holland Research Foundation. †¢ Smith, J. (2005b). Harvard Referencing. London: Jolly Good Publishing. In giving the city of publication, an internationally well-known city (such as London, The Hague, or New York) is referenced as the city alone. If the city is not internationally well known, the country (or state and country if in the U. S. ) are given. An example of a journal reference: †¢ Smith, John Maynard. â€Å"The origin of altruism,† Nature 393, 1998, pp. 639–40. An example of a newspaper reference: †¢ Bowcott, Owen. â€Å"Street Protest†, The Guardian, October 18, 2005, accessed February 7, 2006.

Rodney King Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rodney King - Research Paper Example It will also review whether the attack was a case of police brutality, racial discrimination etc or on the other hand whether it was a justified action on the part of the law enforcement officials of the City. Relevant statistical data will also be given that justifies either of the stands or viewpoints given above. The Unfolding of the King Story and its Aftermath It could be said that the incident sparked off indignation and disbelief followed by forms of illegal retribution from the minority community in the city. â€Å"On March 03 1991, a bystander videotaped Rodney King, an African-American resident of Los Angeles, being beaten up by four White officers of the Los Angeles Police Department, who used a sten gun on King and repeatedly kicked him and hit him with batons† (Sigelman et al, 777, 1997). The article goes on to explain the (initial) feelings of various individuals who expressed indignation regarding the action of the LA police department. The amateur video segment does show King being overpowered and eventually being brutalized by a superior force, the officers of the City Police Department. ... exited at the Sunland Boulevard off ramp and returned to the freeway to chase the speeding car at speeds of up to 117 miles per hour.   King ignored the flashing lights and sped off an exit ramp.   He ran a red light, nearly causing an accident, before finally coming to a stop near the entrance to Hansen Dam Park, at the intersection of Osborne Street and Foothill Boulevard.   Within seconds, three Los Angeles police cars and a police helicopter arrived at the scene† (Linder 2001). King apparently stopped at a busy neighborhood so that there were possible witnesses as to what would happen to him after his imminent stoppage and possible arrest by the police. But what happened was a scene of brutality that was beyond the any civilized action by a law enforcement agency considering the crime King committed, namely driving under influence (DUI), probation restrictions, exceeding speed limits, and avoiding police action. The cornered car contained three occupants including Kin g. Two of the occupants complied with police demands to lie down on the ground and King did not apparently did not do likewise. The four officers (out of other police personnel) involved brutally attacked an apparently unarmed King. The amateur video taken by George Holliday showed an instance of how police personnel tackle a person accused of breaking the law. King was repeatedly beaten with batons and kicked by the officers involved. It was always reported that other law enforcement officials of the LA police department were silent or passive witnesses to the incident. King was repeatedly beaten and sometimes kicked by the law enforcement officials without any apparent aggressive act by the former. â€Å"Mr. King at first said to have only 'cuts and bruises' received while resisting arrest had his