Monday, August 24, 2020

Comparison of Athens and Sparta essays

Correlation of Athens and Sparta articles Looking at Athens and Sparta resembles contrasting paradise with hellfire. One of the couple of likenesses which Athens and Sparta share is that both of the urban communities are situated in a similar nation, Greece. Greece is a bumpy promontory that intently takes after in size the province of Louisiana. In view of the mountains which Greece contains, autonomous networks were framed which in the long run became states and a developing civic establishments. Athens previously turned into a city-state; and was managed by a ruler. In 500 b.c. the Classical Age of Greece thrived. Athens was impact by human expressions. It was a developing society that adoration information and looked for reason in all things. Athenian based there life around reasoning (love of insight) and expressions. As a youngster you could get decent instruction and could seek after any of a few sorts of expressions or sciences. You could serve in the military or naval force, yet you didn't need to. Athens was a polytheistic culture. Young ladies were hitched at 14 years old. Ladies were out loud to take an interest in strict occasions as it were. A significant number of todays most noteworthy savants ever were impacted from Athens, for example, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. In the Athens society all residents were dealt with equivalent. Ladies and slaves rejected from being residents. Toward the start of the seventh century, Athens got constrained by nobles, in the end turning into a government. Around the finish of the seventh century the Athenian culture started falling quickly. Insatiability over came a large number of the rich blue-bloods which controlled most of the land. In 594 b.c. a man who many like was placed in charge, Solomon. In spite of the fact that Solomon attempted his best to modify Athens in to a fabulous network, the privileged people essentially would not bolster this change. Around 560 b.c. Pisistratus a privileged person came into control of the Athenian realm. Pisistratus was not well like and Athens turned into an oppression. In the long run the individuals of Athens shut down the oppression in 560 b.... <!

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Free Essays on Music Of The Catholic Church

Roman Catholicism is perhaps the biggest religion on the planet, with over a billion disciples appropriated everywhere throughout the world. Catholicism's history started when devotees of Judaism acknowledged Jesus Christ as a prophet, however as the Son of God and the Savior of the world. Roman Catholicism was supposedly begun with the dispatching of the Apostle Peter. Catholicism, which implies general, got the descriptor Roman because of the Church's geological area in the Roman Empire. There are two focal plans to Roman Catholicism: the Church as a showing authority, and the Church as a hallowed specialist. The Church as an instructing authority implies that the Church is the deciphering operator of the Bible. The Church as a holy specialist implies that the congregation foundations ceremonies for its supporters with the goal that they can live more profoundly. Roman Catholics perceive the New Testament and the Old Testament. Notwithstanding the sacred days celebrated by most dif ferent Christians, Catholics watch various other heavenly days and holy people days. Extraordinary masses, fasts, or eats may watch these. The Church accepts that the seven holy observances are expected to assist Catholics with carrying on with the sort of life Jesus would have needed and these ceremonies profoundly associate the extraordinary minutes and necessities of human life. These holy observances are absolution, retribution, Holy Communion, affirmation, marriage, blessed requests, and last ceremonies. Coming to America in 1493, 12 ministers went with Christopher Columbus on his second journey of investigation to spread the catholic religion. The ministers who lectured the locals of the southeastern and southwestern bits of what is presently the United States were primarily Spanish Franciscans, Dominicans, and Jesuits. Mass is a custom that is venerated by the Catholics. It is performed in any event once per week and even day by day. A decent method to portray the Mass is to state that it is Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday made present tod... Free Essays on Music Of The Catholic Church Free Essays on Music Of The Catholic Church Roman Catholicism is perhaps the biggest religion on the planet, with over a billion followers dispersed everywhere throughout the world. Catholicism's history started when adherents of Judaism acknowledged Jesus Christ as a prophet, yet as the Son of God and the Savior of the world. Roman Catholicism was supposedly begun with the appointing of the Apostle Peter. Catholicism, which implies widespread, got the descriptor Roman because of the Church's land area in the Roman Empire. There are two focal plans to Roman Catholicism: the Church as a showing authority, and the Church as a sacrosanct specialist. The Church as a training authority implies that the Church is the deciphering operator of the Bible. The Church as a sacrosanct operator implies that the congregation organizations ceremonies for its adherents with the goal that they can live more profoundly. Roman Catholics perceive the New Testament and the Old Testament. Notwithstanding the heavenly days celebrated by most differen t Christians, Catholics watch various other blessed days and holy people days. Extraordinary masses, fasts, or eats may watch these. The Church accepts that the seven ceremonies are expected to assist Catholics with carrying on with the sort of life Jesus would have needed and these holy observances profoundly associate the incredible minutes and necessities of human life. These holy observances are submersion, retribution, Holy Communion, affirmation, marriage, heavenly requests, and last customs. Coming to America in 1493, 12 clerics went with Christopher Columbus on his second journey of investigation to spread the catholic religion. The teachers who lectured the locals of the southeastern and southwestern bits of what is currently the United States were primarily Spanish Franciscans, Dominicans, and Jesuits. Mass is a custom that is loved by the Catholics. It is performed at any rate once every week and even day by day. A decent method to portray the Mass is to state that it is Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday made present tod...

Saturday, July 18, 2020

The Unreliable Narrator Definition, Examples, and How to Make It Work

The Unreliable Narrator Definition, Examples, and How to Make It Work From Edgar Allan Poes Tell-Tale Heart to Gillian Flynns Gone Girl, the authors use of an unreliable narrator is one of the most fascinating literary devices used in storytelling. While there have been unreliable narrators dating back to the work of the Ancient Greek playwright, Aristophanes, the term was coined by Wayne C. Booth in his book, The Rhetoric of Fiction.What is an unreliable narrator?An unreliable narrator is one that is not to be fully believed. His or her credibility is compromised due to some admission of insanity or an obviously false claim that the reader knows is incorrect, or due to the story revealing information about the narrator that makes the reader question the believability of claims made.The unreliable narrator as a literary device can be used for dramatic effect to create an ending with a twist (such as Gone Girl), or can be merely hinted at by other characters as a way to make the reader question if the narrator should be trusted. However it is used and r evealed, having an unreliable narrator is an excellent way for an author to psychologically thrill his or her audience. Nothing can be taken at face value. And if the narrator, the primary voice of the story cant be trustedâ€"then who can?The use of the unreliable narrator is also a reminder that any story told from first person point of view has limitations. In reality, all humans are unreliable narrators. Whenever a person recalls an experience, the recollection is subjective and might not include all relevant detailsâ€"either because the details were missed entirely, or were forgotten in the time that passed between the event and the later description of it. Some people forget or omit details as a type of self-preservation. Others do it to avoid negative consequences. Still others omit details simply because they didnt notice them.Gillian Flynns Gone Girl is an example of an unreliable narrator.Types of unreliable narratorsIn his book Picaros, Madmen, Naifs, and Clowns: The Unrel iable First-Person Narrator, author William Riggan explored the types of first-person unreliable narrators often seen in literature. He narrowed it down to the following list:The PícaroThis is a narrator who is prone to exaggeration and bragging and is unreliable due to his or her tendency for tall tales. Some examples include Moll Flanders in the novel by the same name written by Daniel Defoe, Simplicius Simplicissimus by Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen, and Felix Krull from the unfinished German novel, Confessions of Felix Krull by Thomas Mann.The MadmanThis is a narrator who has a mental disorder resulting in dissociation, schizophrenia or paranoia. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk gave us one of the best examples of this type of unreliable narrator in the discovery that the insomniac narrator and Tyler Durden were one and the same. Some other examples are Franz Kafkas narrators, Barbara Covett in Notes on a Scandal, Charles Kinbote in Pale Fire, and Patrick Bateman in Br et Easton Ellis American Psycho.The ClownThis is a narrator who toys with the truth and the readers expectations. Examples of this type of unreliable narrator include Tristram Shandy in The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne.The NaïfThis type of unreliable narrator is a narrator with a limited understanding or point of view. One of the best examples of this is Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. Other examples of naïves include Mark Twains Huckleberry Finn, Holden Caulfield, from J. D. Salingers 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye, and Jack from Emma Donoghues novel, Room.The LiarThis is a narrator who purposefully lies to the audience. John Dowell in Ford Madox Fords The Good Soldier is an example of this type of unreliable narrator.Some unreliable narrators are a mix of several of these categories. For example, in A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, the narrator is Alex, a depraved and violent psychopathic adolescent who has no desire to change. In thi s sense, he is the antihero of the story and represents an unreliable narrator who admits to his deception, so is The Liar (based on Riggans types). Its made clear that he is manipulating the reader, especially with his use of the term brothers when addressing his audience. His constant drug use and seeming mental instability, along with a fictional jargon called Nasdat to manipulate and lie to other characters, paints him as unreliable from the beginning of the narration (and thus, also The Madman).Alex from Anthony Burgess A Clockwork Orange is an unreliable narrator on many different levels.Outside of Riggans types of unreliable narrators, the following can also be found in modern literature.The narrator who evades the truth out of self-preservationA good example of this type of unreliable narrator is Pi Patel, the narrator of Yann Martels Life of Pi. He tells a story of being adrift at sea and sharing his lifeboat with a zebra, orangutan, hyena, and tiger. When his story is ques tioned for its implausibility, his rescuers (and thus, the reader) learns of another version of the story in which he is adrift at sea with his mother, a sailor, and the ships cook. The rescuers find connections between the two versions of the story and choose to accept the version with the animals, understanding that the alternative (and more likely version) would have been extremely traumatic for the boy.The narrator who doesnt know all of the truthRachel in The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins is an example of this type of unreliable narrator due to her frequent alcohol-induced blackouts and her lies to other characters. Her explanation of her whereabouts is unreliable and her connection to the mystery of the novel is questioned due to her loss of memory due to drinking. In this sense, she doesnt quite fall into Riggans category of The Naïf, but her perspective and memory are indeed limited.How to use the unreliable narrator in your writingIf youve chosen to write a story with an unreliable narrator, youre on the right track. Writers have been using this exciting literary device to create blockbuster stories for centuries, and it is still as exciting as it has ever been for readers to discover that the narrator might not be trustworthy (or might be completely crazy). Put simplyâ€"its a great way to hook your audience and create a compelling, memorable character.Here are a few tips for using an unreliable narrator as a literary device in your writing:Make your narrator seem very cleverWe all know that for a lie to work, careful planning is often needed. Liars have to cover all the bases and intuit how their lies might be discovered, by whom, and how to avoid that happening. This is why, particularly if your narrator is the type who lies on purpose, making him or her incredibly clever and intelligent is the easiest way to pull off turning them into a memorable unreliable narrator. In the real world (as in, outside of fiction), liars must work hard and plan carefully to keep their lie from being discovered.Make your narrator do something out of characterWhen your narrator, who is normally a fine, upstanding citizen, suddenly does something out of character, their reliability is immediately called into question. Having them do something that surprises the reader is a great way to set up an unreliable narratorâ€"especially if you dont plan to wait until the end to make the unreliability part of the storys twist.Consider making your narrator the bad guyFrom A Clockwork Orange to American Psycho, having an unreliable narrator who is also a villain is a great way to set up a fascinating story. The trick to this is making sure your narrator is also likable. There have to be some redeeming qualities or some reason for your audience to keep turning pages, otherwise youll lose your readers attention quickly.Make your narrator authenticIf you are toying with the trust of your readers by using an unreliable narrator, it is especially important t o keep your narrator authentic and believable. While many unreliable narrators are narcissists, pathological liars, and/or mentally unstable, staying within an authentic framework when creating them will keep your readers engaged. Even narcissists have a predictable pattern, and various mental illnesses display certain symptoms that should be evident if this is the direction you plan to take with your narrator as a character.However you plan to use an unreliable narrator, whether to add depth to his or her character or to create a surprise twist at the end of your story, dont reveal too much too soon. Readers automatically assume that the narrator is telling the truth and enjoy the surprise when they learn their preconceived notions arent exactly correct. The unreliable narrator is a great storytelling device when used correctly and should be explored by every writer at some point in his or her writing career. Youll have as much fun creating one as your readers will have reading his or her unreliable tales.

Thursday, May 21, 2020

What Is the Boltzmann Brains Hypothesis

Boltzmann brains is a theoretical prediction of Boltzmanns explanation about the thermodynamic arrow of time. Though Ludwig Boltzmann himself never discussed this concept, they came about when cosmologists applied his ideas about random fluctuations to understand the universe as a whole. Boltzmann Brain Background Ludwig Boltzmann was one of the founders of the field of thermodynamics in the nineteenth century. One of the key concepts was the second law of thermodynamics, which says that the entropy of a closed system always increases. Since the universe is a closed system, we would expect the entropy to increase over time. This means that, given enough time, the most likely state of the universe is one where everything is the in thermodynamic equilibrium, but we clearly dont exist in a universe of this type since, after all, there is order all around us in various forms, not the least of which is the fact that we exist. With this in mind, we can apply the anthropic principle to inform our reasoning by taking into account that we do, in fact, exist. Here the logic gets a little confusing, so were going to borrow the words from a couple of more detailed looks at the situation. As described by cosmologist Sean Carroll in From Eternity to Here: Boltzmann invoked the anthropic principle (although he didnt call it that) to explain why we wouldnt find ourselves in one of the very common equilibrium phases: In equilibrium, life cannot exist. Clearly, what we want to do is find the most common conditions within such a universe that are hospitable to life. Or, if we want to be more careful, perhaps we should look for conditions that are not only hospitable to life, but hospitable to the particular kind of intelligent and self-aware life that we like to think we are....We can take this logic to its ultimate conclusion. If what we want is a single planet, we certainly dont need a hundred billion galaxies with a hundred billion stars each. And if what we want is a single person, we certainly dont need an entire planet. But if in fact what we want is a single intelligence, able to think about the world, we dont even need an entire person--we just need his or her brain.So the reductio ad absurdum of this scenario is that the overwhelm ing majority of intelligences in this multiverse will be lonely, disembodied brains, who fluctuate gradually out of the surrounding chaos and then gradually dissolve back into it. Such sad creatures have been dubbed Boltzmann brains by Andreas Albrecht and Lorenzo Sorbo.... In a 2004 paper, Albrecht and Sorbo discussed Boltzmann brains in their essay: A century ago Boltzmann considered a â€Å"cosmology† where the observed universe should be regarded as a rare ï ¬â€šuctuation out of some equilibrium state. The prediction of this point of view, quite generically, is that we live in a universe which maximizes the total entropy of the system consistent with existing observations. Other universes simply occur as much more rare ï ¬â€šuctuations. This means as much as possible of the system should be found in equilibrium as often as possible.From this point of view, it is very surprising that we ï ¬ nd the universe around us in such a low entropy state. In fact, the logical conclusion of this line of reasoning is utterly solipsistic. The most likely ï ¬â€šuctuation consistent with everything you know is simply your brain (complete with â€Å"memories† of the Hubble Deep ï ¬ elds, WMAP data, etc) ï ¬â€šuctuating brieï ¬â€šy out of chaos and then immediately equilibrating back into chaos again. This is sometimes cal led the â€Å"Boltzmann’s Brain† paradox. The point of these descriptions is not to suggest that Boltzmann brains actually exist. Sort of like the Schroedingers cat thought experiment, the point of this sort of thought experiment is to stretch things to their most extreme conclusion, as a means of showing the potential limitations and flaws of this way of thinking. The theoretical existence of Boltzmann brains allow you to use them rhetorically as an example of something absurd to manifest out of thermodynamic fluctuations, as when Carroll says There will be random fluctuations in the thermal radiation that lead to all sorts of unlikely events--including the spontaneous generation of galaxies, planets, and Boltzmann brains. Now that you understand Boltzmann brains as a concept, though, you have to proceed a bit to understanding the Boltzmann brain paradox that is caused by applying this thinking to this absurd degree. Again, as formulated by Carroll: Why do we find ourselves in a universe evolving gradually from a state of incredibly low entropy, rather than being isolated creatures that recently fluctuated from the surrounding chaos? Unfortunately, there is no clear explanation to resolve this ... thus why its still classified as a paradox. Carrolls book focuses on trying to resolve the questions it brings up about entropy in the universe and the cosmological arrow of time. Popular Culture and Boltzmann Brains Amusingly, Boltzmann Brains made it into popular culture in a couple of different ways. They showed up as a quick joke in a Dilbert comic and as the alien invader in a copy of The Incredible Hercules.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Dissertation, Alcohol Abuse - 13244 Words

Dissertation Alcohol Abuse Carolien Wesselink 76121 Table of Contents Introduction - Background 3 - Statement of the Problem 4 - Objectives of dissertation research 5 - Specific research questions 5 - Assumptions and limitations 6 - Definition of Terms 7 Literature Review - Alcohol Policy: Political Statements 8 - Alcohol Policy: The preventive Approach 9 - Influences on Behavior 11 - Alcohol Trends 13 - Conceptual Framework 14 Methodology - Brief overview 16 - Research Design 16 - Methods for data collection 16 - Data Analysis 17 - Appendices (Survey, Interview) 18 Analysis -Introduction 20 -Analysis of Survey 20 -Analysis†¦show more content†¦And if someone wants to sell alcohol outside the bar he or she needs a special drinking permit (ALCA – Act, article 3). The ‘ALCA - Act’ is made to prevent drank abuse, therefore age limits are set. To persons younger than 16 years no alcohol can be sold or served (ALCA – Act, article 20.1). Strong liquors (15% or more) are not allowed until the age of 18 years old (ALCA – Act, article 20.2). It is forbidden to let drunk people into a bar, cafà © or club. Also pouring in drinks for already drunk people is forbidden. Meaning that the owner of a bar, cafà © or club has to prevent people from getting drunk in their catering establishment (ALCA – Act, article 21). Making advertisements for a catering establishment is not forbidden, however there are certain rules for the making of advertisements for alcohol. These rules are stated in the ‘Advertising Code for Alcoholic Beverages ’ 1985. In this code is stated that 40% of all television commercials and all other audiovisual advertisements have to be provided with a slogan which is: ‘Geniet, maar drink met mate’ (ACAB – Act, article 31.2). This is a very well known slogan in the Netherlands, it means you can enjoy a drink, however do not overdo it. 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A particularly important factor in choosing this career path has been my undergraduate experience when under my dissertation I conducted a study in the field of cyberbullying assessing the psychological characteristics of perpetrators and victims within a sample of 453 junior high school students. This gave me the chance to contribute in teaching about cyberbullyingRead MoreSexual Assault Within American Culture2065 Words   |  9 Pagesorientations, and consumption or non-consumption of alcohol. The focus of the current analysis is by no means comprehensive, but it did examine statistically common elements among sexual and physical assault in regard to alcohol use. As studies have indicated, one in five female students were sexually assaulted with three out of four of them under the influence of alcohol during the crime (Mohler-Kuo et al., 2004). Consequently, the scope of the current dissertation considered precursors to assault, with the

NoLag product Free Essays

For the different budgets related to the NoLag product of JetSet Travel, Inc. (JTI), I would expect to see different items. Below are said budgets and items. We will write a custom essay sample on NoLag product or any similar topic only for you Order Now But I would like to define what budget is first. Horngren, Datar and Foster (2002) defined budget as the â€Å"[quantitative] expression of a proposed plan of action by management for a specified period and is an aid to coordinating what needs to be done to implement that plan (p. 835). Sales budget. This is usually the staring point for budgeting. The budgeted sales for a future period determines the production and inventory levels which also determine the manufacturing costs of JTI as well as its nonmanufacturing costs for its NoLag product. Items seen in the sales budget are the budgeted selling price for the product, budgeted number of units to be sold, and of course, the budgeted total revenues fro the product. With respect to costs behavior, the items shown in the NoLag sales budget are all variable. That is, these items changes in total in proportion to the number of products to be sold. Purchase budget. This budget identifies the direct materials to be purchased which depends on the budgeted usage of direct materials. Items seen in this budget are the direct materials needed, and under each material the following are specified: Direct materials usage for the period, Target ending inventory for the direct material, Beginning inventory for the direct material, Cost per unit of each of the direct material requirement, and Budgeted direct materials purchases for the period The direct material cost, specifically the direct materials purchase cost is a variable cost. The amount changes relative to the number of direct materials budgeted. Operating expenses budget. This budget included the nonmanufacturing costs related to the NoLag product value chain. Included in this budget are research and development, marketing, distribution, customer-service, and administrative costs. The research and development costs’ behavior – fixed or variable – depends on how management allocates funds to it. If management decides that 10 percent of the total sales budget is to be allocated to research and development, then it is variable – it varies according to the sales budget. The rest of the items under the operating expenses budget exhibit the same characteristics. For example, marketing costs are usually budgeted as a percentage of the sales budget. Capital expenditures budget. This is composed of the investing requirements of JTI with regard to the manufacture of the NoLag product. The expenses here are fixed which includes budgeted purchase amount of new equipments. Cash budgets. The cash budget, according to Horngren, Datar and Foster (2002), â€Å"is a schedule of expected cash receipts and disbursements† (p. 197). Generally, the cash budget has several main sections. Beginning cash balance AND cash receipts. These will form part of the cash available for financing requirements of JTI. Cash receipts come from collections from customers and sales of the NoLag product. Cash disbursements are composed of direct materials purchases, direct labor and other wage and salary outlays, interest on long-term borrowing, income tax payments, and other costs and disbursements. Short-term financing requirements. JTI needs short-term financing requirements if its total cash receipts for the period are less than its total cash disbursements. Ending cash balance. Include considerations for the variable aspects of this product and its sales References Horngren, C. T., Datar, S. M. Foster, G. (2002). Cost accounting: A managerial emphasis. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. APA 1    How to cite NoLag product, Essay examples

Sunday, April 26, 2020

Virgin Essay Example

Virgin Essay 289 CASE EXAMPLE The Virgin Group Aidan McQuade Introduction The Virgin Group is one of the UK’s largest private companies. The group included, in 2006, 63 businesses as diverse as airlines, health clubs, music stores and trains. The group included Virgin Galactic, which promised to take paying passengers into sub-orbital space. The personal image and personality of the founder, Richard Branson, were highly bound up with those of the company. Branson’s taste for publicity has led him to stunts as diverse as appearing as a cockney street trader in the US comedy Friends, to attempting a non-stop balloon flight around the world. This has certainly contributed to the definition and recognisability of the brand. Research has showed that the Virgin name was associated with words such as ‘fun’, ‘innovative’, ‘daring’ and ‘successful’. In 2006 Branson announced plans to invest $3bn (A2. 4bn; ? 1. 7bn) in renewable energy. Virgin, through its partnership with a cable company NTL, also undertook an expansion into media challenging publicly the way NewsCorp operated in the UK and the effects on British democracy. The nature and scale of both these initiatives suggests that Branson’s taste for his brand of business remains undimmed. Origins and activities Virgin was founded in 1970 as a mail order record business and developed as a private company in music publishing and retailing. In 1986 the company was floated on the stock exchange with a turnover of ? 250m (A362. 5m). However, Branson became tired of the public listing obligations: he resented making presentations in the City to people whom, he believed, did not understand the business. The pressure to create short-term profit, especially as the share price began to fall, was the final straw: Branson decided to take the business back into private ownership and the shares were bought back at the original offer price. We will write a custom essay sample on Virgin specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Virgin specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Virgin specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The name Virgin was chosen to represent the idea of the company being a virgin in every business it entered. Branson has said that: ‘The brand is the single most important asset that we have; our ultimate objective is to establish it as a major global name. ’ This does not mean that Virgin underestimates the importance of understanding the businesses that it is branding. Referring to his intent to set up a ‘green’ energy company producing ethanol and cellulosic ethanol fuels in competition with the oil industry, he said, ‘We’re a slightly unusual company in that we go into industries we know nothing about and immerse ourselves. Virgin’s expansion had often been through joint ventures whereby Virgin provided the brand and its partner provided the majority of capital. For example, the Virgin Group’s move into clothing and cosmetics required an initial outlay of only ? 1,000, whilst its partner, Victory Corporation, invested ? 20m. Wi th Virgin Mobile, Virgin built a business by forming partnerships with existing wireless operators to sell services under the Virgin brand name. The carriers’ competences lay in network management. Virgin set out to differentiate itself by offering innovative This case was updated and revised by Aidan McQuade, University of Strathclyde Graduate School of Business, based upon work by Urmilla Lawson. Photo: Steve Bell/Rex Features 290 CHAPTER 7 STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS AND CORPORATE-LEVEL STRATEGY services. Although it did not operate its own network, Virgin won an award for the best wireless operator in the UK. Virgin Fuels appears to be somewhat different in that Virgin is putting up the capital and using the Virgin brand to attract attention to the issues and possibilities that the technology offers. In 2005 Virgin announced the establishment of a ‘quadruple play’ media company providing television, broadband, fixed-line and mobile communications through the merger of Branson’s UK mobile interests with the UK’s two cable companies. This Virgin company would have 9 million direct customers, 1. 5 million more than BSkyB, and so have the financial capacity to compete with BSkyB for premium content such as sports and movies. 1 Virgin tried to expand this business further by making an offer for ITV. This was rejected as undervaluing the company and then undermined further with the purchase of an 18 per cent share of ITV by BSkyB. This prompted Branson to call on regulators to force BSkyB to reduce or dispose of its stake citing concerns that BSkyB would have material influence over the free-to-air broadcaster. 2 Virgin has been described as a ‘keiretsu’ organisation – a structure of loosely linked, autonomous units run by self-managed teams that use a common brand name. Branson argued that, as he expanded, he would rather sacrifice short-term profits for long-term growth of the various businesses. Some commentators have argued that Virgin had become an endorsement brand that could not always offer real expertise to the businesses with which it was associated. However, Will Whitehorn, Director of Corporate Affairs for Virgin, stated, ‘At Virgin we know what the brand means and when we put our brand name on something we are making a promise. ’ Branson saw Virgin adding value in three main ways, aside from the brand. These were their public relations and marketing skills; its experience with greenfield start-ups; and Virgin’s understanding of the opportunities presented by ‘institutionalised’ markets. Virgin saw an ‘institutionalised’ market as one dominated by few competitors, not giving good value to customers because they had become either inefficient or preoccupied with each other. Virgin believed it did well when it identified such complacency and offered more for less. The entry into fuel and media industries certainly conforms to the model of trying to shake up ‘institutionalised’ markets. Corporate rationale In 2006 Virgin still lacked the trappings of a typical multinational. Branson described the Virgin Group as ‘a branded venture capital house’. 3 There was no ‘group’ as such; financial results were not consolidated either for external examination or, so Virgin claimed, for internal use. Its website described Virgin as a family rather than a hierarchy. Its financial operations were managed from Geneva. In 2006 Branson explained the basis upon which he considered opportunities: they have to be global in scope, enhance the brand, be worth doing and have an expectation of a reasonable return on investment. 4 Each business was ‘ring-fenced’, so that lenders to one company had no rights over the assets of another. The ring-fencing seems also to relate not just to provision of financial protection, but also to a business ethics aspect. In an interview in 2006 Branson cricitised supermarkets for selling cheap CDs. His criticism centred on the supermarkets’ use of loss leading on CDs damaging music retailers rather than fundamentally challenging the way music retailers do business. Branson has made it a central feature of Virgin that it shakes up institutionalised markets by being innovative. Loss leading is not an innovative approach. Virgin has evolved from being almost wholly comprised of private companies to a group where some of the companies are publicly listed. Virgin and Branson Historically, the Virgin Group had been controlled mainly by Branson and his trusted lieutenants, many of whom had stayed with him for more than 20 years. The increasing conformity between personal interest and business initiatives could be discerned in the establishment of Virgin Fuels. In discussing his efforts to establish a ‘green’ fuel company in competition with the oil industry Branson made the geopolitical observation that non-oil-based fuels could ‘avoid another Middle East war one day’; Branson’s opposition to the Second Gulf War is well publicised. In some instances the relationship between personal conviction and business interests is less clear cut. Branson’s comments on the threat to British democracy posed by NewsCorp’s ownership of such a large percentage of the British media could be depicted as either genuine concern from a public figure or sour grapes from a business rival just been beaten out of purchasing ITV. More r ecently Branson has been reported as talking about withdrawing from the business ‘which THE VIRGIN GROUP 291 more or less ran itself now’,6 and hoping that his son Sam might become more of a Virgin figurehead. However, while he was publicly contemplating this withdrawal from business, Branson was also launching his initiatives in media and fuel. Perhaps Branson’s idea of early retirement is somewhat more active than most. Corporate performance By 2006 Virgin had, with mixed results, taken on one established industry after another in an effort to shake up ‘fat and complacent business sectors’. It had further set its sights on the British media sector and the global oil industry. Airlines clearly were an enthusiasm of Branson’s. According to Branson, Virgin Atlantic, which was 49 per cent owned by Singapore Airways, was a company that he would not sell outright: ‘There are some businesses you preserve, which wouldn’t ever be sold, and that’s one. ’ Despite some analysts’ worries that airline success could not be sustained given the ‘cyclical’ nature of the business, Branson maintained a strong interest in the industry, and included airline businesses such as Virgin Express (European), Virgin Blue (Australia) and Virgin Nigeria in the group. Branson’s engagement with the search for ‘greener’ fuels and reducing global warming had not led him to ground his fleets. but rather to prompt a debate on measures to reduce carbon emissions from aeroplanes. At the beginning of the twenty-first century the most public problem faced by Branson was Virgin Trains, whose Cross Country and West Coast lines were ranked 23rd and 24th out of 25 train-operating franchises according to the Strategic Rail Authority’s Review in 2000. By 2002 Virgin Trains was reporting profits and paid its first premium to the British government. xperience with any one of the product lines may shun all the others’. However, Virgin argues that its brand research indicates that people who have had a bad experience will blame that particular Virgin company or product but will be willing to use other Virgin products or services, due to the very diversity of the brand. Such brand confidence helps explain why Virgin should even conte mplate such risky and protracted turnaround challenges as its rail company. Sarah Sands recounts that Branson’s mother ‘once proudly boasted that her son would become Prime Minster’. Sands futher commented that she thought his mother underestimated his ambition. 10 With Virgin’s entry into fuel and media and Branson’s declarations that he is taking on the oil corporations and NewsCorp, Sands may ultimately prove to have been precient in her comment. Notes 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Sunday Telegraph, 4 December (2005). Independent, 22 November (2006). Hawkins (2001a, b). PR Newswire Europe, 16 October (2006). Fortune, 6 February (2006). Independent on Sunday, 26 November (2006). Ibid. The Times 1998, quoted in Vignali (2001). Wells (2000). Independent on Sunday, 26 November (2006). Sources: The Economist, ‘Cross his heart’, 5 October (2002); ‘Virgin on the ridiculous’, 29 May (2003); ‘Virgin Rail: tilting too far’, 12 July (2001). P. McCosker, ‘Stretching the brand: a review of the Virgin Group’, European Case Clearing House, 2000. The Times, ‘Virgin push to open up US aviation market’, 5 June (2002); ‘Branson plans $1bn US expansion’, 30 April (2002). Observer, ‘Branson eyes 31bn float for Virgin Mobile’, 18 January (2004). Strategic Direction, ‘Virgin Flies High with Brand Extensions’, vol. 18, no. 10, (October 2002). R. Hawkins, ‘Executive of Virgin Group outlines corporate strategy’ Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News, July 29 (2001a). R. Hawkins, ‘Branson in new dash for cash’, Sunday Business, 29 July (2001b); South China Morning Post, ‘Virgin shapes kangaroo strategy aid liberalisation talks between Hong Kong and Australia will determine carrier’s game-plan’, 28 June (2002). C. Vignali, ‘Virgin Cola’, British Food Journal, vol. 103, no. 2 (2001), pp. 31–139. M. Wells, ‘Red Baron’, Forbes Magazine, vol. 166, no. 1, 7 March (2000). The future The beginning of the twenty-first century also saw further expansion by Virgin, from airlines, spa finance and mobile telecoms in Africa, into telecoms in Europe, and into the USA. The public flotation of individual businesses rather than the group as a whole has become an intrinsic part of the ‘juggling’ of finances that underpins Virgin’s expansion. Some commentators have identified a risk with Virgin’s approach: ‘The greatest threat [is] that . . Virgin brand . . . may become associated with failure. ’8 This point was emphasised by a commentator9 who noted that ‘a customer who has a bad enough Questions 1 What is the corporate rationale of Virgin as a group of companies? 2 Are there any relationships of a strategic nature between businesses within the Virgin portfolio? 3 How does the Virgin Group, as a corporate parent, add value to its businesses? 4 What were the main issues facing the Virgin Group at the end of the case and how should they be tackled?

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Expert Interview with Jerry Bernhart About Digital Marketing

Expert Interview with Jerry Bernhart About Digital Marketing Jerry Bernhart, Digital and Multichannel Marketing Recruiter of Bernhart Associates Executive Search, LLC, is also the author of Careers in eCommerce and Digital Marketing. He is one of the industry’s leaders and has an acute understanding of the field, which adds to his expertise. Jerry talked with us about hiring trends, digital marketing and the changing market, along with some tips for the job seeker. He shares valuable advice to anyone looking into the digital marketing field. Are there any important factors/trends in hiring that job candidates should know but often overlook?Many digital marketing candidates who are just getting into the field want to be all things to all people. You can’t know it all, and most of the search assignments I receive from employers who are looking for more junior-level talent have a specific need or a specific business problem to solve. They should try to specialize in one thing, get really good at it and then start thinking about addi ng to their knowledge base.How did you get into this niche of recruiting?I started out as a recruiter in direct marketing some 25 years ago. Moving into digital marketing and eCommerce was a natural transition for me because it’s all about marketing direct to the consumer.What are employers really looking for?Companies have never faced so much uncertainty and risk. In the space of only a few months, they can slip from market leader to follower. The ability to deal with major changes in the workplace, complete projects with very little direction, endure stress, handle multiple priorities – these are among the competencies that employers look for in all professionals, regardless of the industry they’re in. But this applies especially to digital marketing. What might have been considered a crazy idea one day might be the next day’s most anticipated experiment. Companies can test new ideas and try out new features on websites and get almost instantaneous resu lts. All businesses want their marketers to be adaptable, but in digital marketing that’s especially important because the only thing that doesn’t change is†¦well, change. Expect change to be the norm. Learn to adapt and you will stay a step ahead.What advice do you have for the frustrated job seeker?Network, network, network! One of the beauties of digital technology is that candidates these days have many more avenues for networking than their predecessors did just five years ago. Also, be open when it comes to location. There are plenty of excellent opportunities in places outside of the major metro areas. If you limit your search to a specific geographic area, expect fewer opportunities.How has the job market changed over the past 10 years or so, and where do you see it going in the next few years?The hiring process has been stretched out a lot. Ten years ago, my average search, from the initial call from the employer to the candidate’s first day on the job, usually didn’t last more than two months. Now, three months is the norm. Part of that is because employers have become much more selective. Many are looking for that â€Å"purple squirrel,† and some would just as soon let a position remain empty if they can’t find it.What does a digital marketing job candidate need to stand out?Attitude is number one. Employers want to hire a candidate who is going to be self-motivated. You can have all the skills in the world, but if you don’t show passion or enthusiasm, you won’t get very far!How should a candidate handle multiple job offers?It’s difficult to give a blanket response to that. Depends on the offers, depends on the timing, depends on a lot of things. Everyone’s situation is different. But multiple offers are a good thing because it gives you a choice. You need to have good negotiation skills to navigate through them. I take a very dim view towards accepting counter-offers.How hav e you seen the role of women in this industry change?It’s changed a great deal. In digital marketing in general, I work with as many women now as I do with men, although men still dominate the more senior-level eCommerce roles. I’m placing more women into technical positions than I ever have before, and they’re also representing an increasing percentage of the candidates I place in the corner office, like VPs and CMOs. In fact, I’ve placed TWO women into CMO roles just this year, more than during any year in the past!

Monday, March 2, 2020

Using the Spanish Verb Levantar

Using the Spanish Verb Levantar Usually meaning to raise or to lift, levantar can also be used for other meanings that at first may not seem related. Levantar is derived from the Latin verb levare, meaning to raise. As such, it is related to English words such as levitate, levity and even lever. Here are some examples of levantar with its usual meaning: Courtney levantà ³ la mano porque querà ­a hacer una pregunta. Courtney raised her hand because she wanted to ask a question. Levantaron el coche en el elevador. They raised up the car on the hoist. Levantà ³ la taza con su mano dà ©bil. He raised the cup with his weak hand. Observa como la temperatura se levanta. See how the temperature is rising. Inhalar y levantar los brazos. Inhale and lift up your arms. Levantar is often used figuratively: Levanto la voz por mis derechos. Im raising my voice for my rights. Levantaban la mirada para ver a los extraà ±os que llegaban. They looked up to see the strangers who were arriving. In the reflexive form, levantarse can mean to wake up or to arise from bed:  ¡No me quiero levantar! I dont want to get up! In context, levantar can be used to refer to the creating or intensifying of an emotional reaction: Era un hà ©roe que levantà ³ al pueblo contra los invasores. He was a leader who stirred up the people against the invaders. Las expresiones de carià ±o mientras estuvo hospitalizada levantaron su espà ­ritu. The expressions of affection while she was hospitalized lifted her spirits. In context, levantar can mean to suspend, adjourn or call off an event: Las mujeres la ciudad norteà ±a levantaron huelga de hambre tras alcanzar los objetivos. The women in the northern city called off their hunger strike after reaching their goals. Se levantà ³ el corte. The court was adjourned. Rusia levantar embargo a la exportacià ³n de grano. Russia will lift the embargo on grain exports. Similarly, levantar sometimes means to undo or unmake: La policà ­a levantà ³ campamento y detuverion a los manifestantes. The police broke up the camp and detained the protesters. Pablo levantà ³ la cama y abrià ³ la ventana. Pablo unmade the bed and opened the window. Note: As is the case with most lessons on this site, sample sentences generally are adapted from a variety of sources written by native speakers. Sources consulted for this lesson include: Abel Cruz, Cibernika.com, Debates-politica.com, DGW.es, EscuchaMusica.com.mx, Maipu.cl, MCH.com, Mforos.com, NustroSalud.com, Rodrigorubiog, Tarot.tv, 1070noticias.com.

Friday, February 14, 2020

Military Action Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Military Action - Essay Example There was a universal outcry of the acts and deeds of warlord Mohamad Farrah Aidid that needed immediate intervention. Acting on United Nations sanctioned mission therefore a group of United States soldiers invaded the city of Mogadishu. Eventually also, some positive results were recorded when the military action resulted in the prevention of Islamist terrorists from taking root: despite the fact that that was not the original humanitarian mission (Nasaw, 2009). The Black Hawk Down battle in Somalia also had its own negative results. Analysts have judged the outcome of that particular military action as one of the worse to have ever hit the United States army. Within a period of 17 hours, as many as 18 United States soldiers and 500 Somalis had fallen as victims of death in the battle. To a very large extent, much blame is put on more intelligence gathering and more strategic approach as the cause of the problem (WGBH educational foundation, 2012).there are many who hold the view that the United States army reacted rather to quickly to the call to go on that battle. By and large, leadership misappropriations may be cited as the cause of the failures that were associated with the military action in Somalia in

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Meaning & Significance of Financial Assessment Assignment

Meaning & Significance of Financial Assessment - Assignment Example It helps gain access to fast, independent and reliable financial assessment reports in order to take better decisions. It enables to  achieve financial success. Financial assessment is based on past records and future projections. The company can gain much better control over their financial performance by looking at the past in order to help plan and predict the future. A sound financial plan contains a complete picture of the financial health of the business and the viability of strategic plans. It also helps to know whether the company is being run in a proper way during implementation, so that it can take preventive action before anything serious happens, for example, running out of cash. â€Å"Successful financial analysis and planning require an understanding of a company’s external and internal environments† (Analysis of Financial Statements Reviewing and Assessing Statements, 2006). Every enterprise should prepare certain statements in order to ascertain the f inancial condition of the business, known as financial statements. A financial statement has an important role in the decision making process. But the information in the financial statements is not effectively helpful in order to make a meaningful conclusion. Therefore, an effective and efficient analysis and interpretation of financial statements is necessary. Financial statement analysis  is â€Å"the process of identifying financial strengths and  weaknesses  of the firm by properly establishing  relationship between  the items of the balance sheet and the  profit and loss account† (Financial Statement Analysis, 2012). Analysis means establishing a significant relationship between a number of items of two financial statements with each other, in order to draw a meaningful conclusion. By financial statements we mean three statements: i. Balance Sheet or Position Statement ii. Profit and loss Account or Income Statement iii. Cash flow statement â€Å"The term fi nancial analysis is also known as analysis and interpretation of financial statements† (Financial Statement Analysis- An Introduction n.d). Financial statement analysis is an evaluation to assess the efficiency and performance of the firm. Thus, it is very essential to measure the financial soundness, efficiency, profitability, and future prospects of business units. Financial analysis serves the following purposes: Measuring profitability Indicating the trend of achievements Assessing the growth potential of the business Comparative position in relation to other firms Assess overall financial strength Assess solvency of the firm. Elements of financial assessment: Analysis of financial statement is an important part of the process of developing a business plan, as it also helps to monitor the success of that plan. Elements of financial analysis include:  Ã‚   1.  Budgeting- Budgeting is an important element of financial analysis. Creating a budget means setting out planned cash inflows and outflow of the business. It facilitates indentifying liquidity of the firm by

Friday, January 24, 2020

The Dark Side of Facebook Essay -- Social Networking, Pro Con Essays

Today, students rely on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram more than they rely on food to nourish their bodies. An average Facebook user wastes over 18.5 hours a month on social networking sites. It is noticeable that the more attention students are giving these social networks, the more poorly they do in school. Younger students carelessly expose all their personal information on these social networks. Also, as these sites continue to grow so does cyber bullying. Schools that contain grades k-12 should block internet access to social networks because they have a negative impact on the academic performance of students, they make students more prone to dangers on the internet, and they are the main locations of cyber bullying. Social networking sites frequently have a negative impact on the academic performance of students. Sanzhar Nayzabekov says in her article â€Å"Negative impact of social networking sites on academic performance of students†, found on the website Academia.edu, â€Å"Despite the fact that a relatively large number of social network sites including Facebook were initially created for learning purposes, there is some evidence that most social network site users show almost no attitudes towards finding academic information† (6). In fact, the use of these social networks often results in lower grades. For example, Naizabekov also says a large amount of Facebook users check their Facebook a significant amount of times throughout the day while updating their statuses more than 5 times per day (4). With that being said, it is quite hard for a student focusing on status updates and what’s new on the social media during class period to be focused on what is be ing taught in class... ...ality of cyberbullying laws: keeping the online playground safe for both teens and free speech." Vanderbilt Law Review Apr. 2010: 845+. LegalTrac. Web. 15 Nov. 2014 . Kirschner, Paul, and Aryn Karpinski. â€Å"Facebook and Academic Performance.† Computers and Human Behavior 26.6 (Nov. 2010): 1237-1245. ACM Digital Library. Web. 10 Nov. 2014 . Nayzabekov, Sanzhar. â€Å"Negative impact of social networking sites on academic performance of students.† Academia.edu. N.p., 20 Apr. 2012. Web. 10 Nov. 2014 . "Scams Online." All Hands 09 1999: 42-3. ProQuest. Web. 18 Nov. 2014 Tarantino, Kristen, et al. â€Å"Effects of Student Engagement with Social Media on Student Learning: A Review of Literature† StudentAffairs.com. StudentAffairs.com, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2014 . Wolak, Janis, et al. "Online â€Å"predators† and their victims." Psychology of violence 1 (2010): 13-35. Web. 10 Nov. 2014 .

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Principles Of Safeguarding And Protection Essay

The booklet must: Ai Describe in your own words what is meant by the following types of abuse: †¢ Physical abuse Physical abuse is the use of physical force that may result in bodily injury,physical pain or impairment.physical abuse may include but is not limited to such acts of violence as striking ( with or without an object) hitting,beating,pushing,shoving,shaking,slapping,kicking,pinching and burning. †¢ Sexual abuse Sexual abuse is any sort of non consensual sexual contact,sexual abuse can happen to men or women of any age. †¢ Emotional/psychological abuse Any act, including confinement, isolation, verbal assult,humiliation intimidation or any other treatment which may diminish the sence of identity,dignity and self worth. †¢ Financial abuse Misuse of a persons money, property or assets through theft or fraud †¢ Institutional abuse Mistreatment of people brought about by poor or inadequate care or support, or systematic poor practice that affects the whole care setting . it occurs when the individuals wishes and needs are sacrified for the smooth running of a group,service or organisation. †¢ Self neglect Self neglect is any failure of an adult to take care of himself or herself that causes or is reasonably likly to cause within a short period of time serious physical,mental or emotional harm or substantial damage to or loss of assests. †¢ Neglect by others Neglect is the failure to provide necessary care, assistance,guidance or attention that causes, or or is reasonably likely to cause the person physical ,mental or emotional harm or substantial damage to or loss of assets. Read more: Identify national policies and local systems that relate to safeguarding and protection from abuse  essay Aii Identify signs and symptoms of the different types of abuse Abuse can show as physical effects and symptoms.these are likly to be accompanied by emotional signs and changes in behaviour,but this is not alway the case. Signs of physical abuse Frequent or regular falls or injuries Pepperpot bruising – small bruises,usually on the chest,caused by poking with a finger or pulling clothes tightly Fingermarks – often on arms or shoulders Bruising in areas not normally bruised such as the inside of thighs and arms Sighns of sexual Unusal sexual behaviour Blood or marks no underclothes Recurrent gentital/ urinary infections Complaints of soreness or infections in the genital/ anal area Frequent complaints of abdominal pain Change in behaviour Sighns of emotional Loss of interest in appearance Loss of confidence Becoming afraid of making decisions Change in behaviour Sighns of financial Sudden change in attitude to financial matters Sleeping problems Feeling depressed or hopeless Any behaviour changes could indicate that the service user is a victim of some form of abuse, but remember that they are only an indicator and will need to be linked to other factors to arrive at a complete picture Aiii Explain the correct actions to take if you suspect an individual is being abused Report your concerns to your line manager/ supervisor. Aiv Explain the correct actions to take if an individual tells you they are being abused If a client tells you they are being abused,you should stop what you re doing and listen carefully to them.all conversations should be treated with confidence and information only passed on to those who need to know.even if the person speaks in strictest of confidence,line managers must still be informed and the discussion written down.never agree with the client that you wont tell someone who can do something about it. Av Identify how to ensure that any evidence of abuse is kept safe There may be situations where you have evidence of abuse,either because you have witnessed it happening or because you have other evidence such as bank slips, forged pension books,ect. In this situation must be reported immediately to your supervisor,or the person identified in the procedures followed by your workplace for cases of suspected abuse.you make sure that you provide all the evidence in detail with full information about how you found the evidence and how and where you have recorded it.if you have witnessed,or intervened in,an act of abuse that may constitute a criminal offence, you must not remove any possible evidence until the police have examined the scene. Avi Identify the national policies that set out requirements for safeguarding individuals Safeguarding vulnerable groups act 2006 No secrets act 2000 Care standards act 2000 Avii Identify the local and organisational systems for safeguarding Safe guarding vulnerable groups act 2006 cqc Criminal records bureau human rights act 1998 Aviii Explain the roles of different agencies and professionals that are involved in safeguarding individuals Police,- criminal(assult ,fraud, theft domestic violence) Council, – to protect people using their service – make sure they re safe  extend help where needed to support those experiencing abuseand neglect in their own homes Social workers – to investigate actual or suspected abuse or neglect Crb-to check an individuals past to see if they have any criminal convictions Gp,a&e staff,nurses,medical professionals – they can diagnose treat and examine and record any evidence Cqc – to regulate and inspect care providers Aix Identify sources of advice, support and information to help social care workers understand their own role in safeguarding Health authorities, local authority social services My manager, colleagues My companys policies and procedures on safeguarding The internet Cqc Independent safeguarding authority Books Training and advise from training 204 Task B Research and Account Identify two reports on serious failures to protect individuals from abuse. Write an account that describes the unsafe practices in the reviews. Suggested word count: 400 words 204 Task C – Short Answer Questions Ci Explain what a social care worker must do if they become aware of unsafe practice. They must report the matter to their line manager or senior using the whistle blowing policy keeping a recorded document of times,places and events of unsafe practise and any other evidence they are able to obtain. If the unsafe practice is by the manager then must report to a higher member within the company so the matter can be resolved. Cii Describe what a social care worker must do if unsafe practice is reported but nothing is done to ensure it is corrected. if a care worker reported unsafe practise and nothing is done to correct it the social care worker needs to keep recorded documentationof the person who they reported  it to, keep reporting it and keep recording it and keeping recorded documentation as evidence and advise the person performing unsafe practise of what they are doing wrong and work to the best practice you know. If still nothing is done to correct the unsafe practice the social care worker can contact cqc and advise them on the unsafe practice. Ciii Describe three factors that may make individuals more vulnerable to abuse than others. Factor 1; physical disability – physical disabilitynof any form can make individuals more vulnerable to abuse as they often are unable to speak out about who is abusing them or what type of abuse is occurring and makes them vulnerable to abusive attacks. Factor 2; age – age of all types can have an effect both young and old are more vulnerable to abuse. Old people are more vulnerable to financial abuse if they are not in control of their own finances along with physical and mental abuse children are vulnerable to grooming ,sexual, physical,mental and emotional abuse. Factor 3; mental illness – mental illness makes people vulnerable as they may be unable to take care of themselves or protect themselves from significant harm and exploitation Civ Explain how adopting a person centred approach which offers choices and upholds rights can empower an individual and help to reduce the likelihood of abuse. Treating individual with respect, supporting individuals rights to control their lives and make informed choices, promoting individual views, helping individual service users and care workers to make complaint and maintaining confidentialty encourage service users to comment and attend in the meeting.those practices help individuals to aquire their self esteem and recognize their values, rights, and powers what protect them being abused. Cv Explain how encouraging and promoting active participation can help to reduce the likelihood of abuse. Encouraging active participation builds self esteem,and the person will refuse to tolerate abuse and will be inclined to report it, theyre also around other people which will help build friendships in which they can share things they may tell one of them if abuse may happen and one of them may pass it on to help. Cvi Explain how an effective and easy to use complaints procedure can help to reduce the likelihood of abuse.  If it is easy to access the complaints procedure,and anyone willing to complain has no difficulty in doing so, then it makes it harder for abuse to go unreported,and hence less likely to take place . if a victim has difficulty complaining then someone who might abuse them is more likely to do so, as they would be more confident that the victim would not be able to do anything about it.

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Wall Street Journal Portfolio Trading Analysis Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2030 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Upon being assigned the task of creating a personal investment portfolio using The Wall Street Journals online resources with a cash allotment of $1,000,000 in simulated money, I was instantly intimidated and concerned. I had no experience with investing and was absolutely made uncomfortable by the idea that 15% of my course grade would depend on my performance and analysis in this stock market simulation. Although I should have been a bit more relaxed given the fact that I have done quite well in my past finance courses, I still felt a certain level of uneasiness about actually trying to apply the theory to real practice. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Wall Street Journal Portfolio Trading Analysis Finance Essay" essay for you Create order Nevertheless, armed with my new student Wall Street Journal subscription and the project guidelines, I made a strong effort at trying to navigate the craziness that comes with working to create a profitable investment portfolio, while also maintaining a passive investment strategy. My strategy choice resulted from my understanding of the efficient market hypothesis which implicates a passive strategy as the best option given the assumption that stock prices reflect all relevant information and that it may essentially be pointless to try to beat the market through stock analysis (Bodie, 233). Portfolio Construction Process After finally being able to set up my Wall Street Journal subscription on May 13th, I found myself perplexed as I had no idea of where to start when it came to choosing stocks. As a result, I spent the next couple of weeks reading the newspaper and browsing online resources in hopes of happening upon an epiphany of some sort that might steer me in the right direction. Despite my staying abreast of my classmates comments and trading suggestions, I was still utterly unsure of how to choose a winner. All the same, with my belief that nothing beats a failure but a try I had no choice but to go ahead and make my first transaction on May 28th as I had no more time to waste on stalling. At that time I settled on the idea that it would be best to choose stocks from companies that I recognized which were also performing well at that time. The list that I lined up consisted of: AutoZone Incorporated, Bank of America Corporation, Dollar General Corporation, Goldman Sachs Group Incorporated , US Airways Group Incorporated, Sprint Nextel Corporation, Vanguard REIT ETF, and Washington Post Company. Prior to my purchase of the aforementioned investments I located articles which indicated potential positive performance of these investments. With regards to Sprint Nextel Corp., on Friday, May 21st, The Wall Street Journal ran an article discussing the possibility that the Federal Communications Commission would likely be issuing new regulations in order to make the telecommunications market more competitive (Schatz, B2). Given that Sprint has recently lost market share to some of its larger rivals, such regulation would definitely be beneficial to the corporation since it could aid in giving it a new edge on the competition (Schatz, B2). Sprint has also recently engaged in a large advertising agenda having had numerous full-page ads in The Wall Street Journal and other publications. Such behavior would also indicate good news for the company as it can likely obtain more customers and possibly regain some of its lost market share through a big marketing campaign. As a result of this assessment, I felt it likely that Sprint would soon see a price increase as a result of such positive news. Likewise, for Goldman Sachs Group Inc., an article detailing the great performance of Accretive Health Inc.s initial public performance, which Goldman Sachs managed, also shed a bright light in this corporations direction (Cowan, C6). Much the same effect that a positive earnings report for a company might have, the aforementioned news of Goldman Sachs strong performance in managing Accretive Health should have also yielded an increase in the market value of Goldman Sachs stock (Cowan, C6). This great indication led me to want to invest in the corporation. In keeping in the financial realm, my choice to purchase stock in Bank of America came as a result of an article describing the corporations plans to sell stake in its private Brazilian bank, Itau Unibanco Holding SA (Jelmayer, C3). This move would allow Bank of America to increase its capital levels (Jelmayer, C3). Such a step is certainly beneficial since banks with higher levels of capital are less likely to fail in the event that it makes a few bad loans. With a better capital structure, the bank is also apt to gain more confidence from the public, especially in the wake of the recent financial crisis. This renewed confidence in Bank of America would also lead to a higher market value for its stock. Also taking into the account that Bank of America is a highly traded stock, this increase would also probably be reflected rather quickly, thus yielding a quick profit. Given the aforementioned, I decided that Bank of America was a good choice, even though it would also give my portfolio higher risk given that it would not add diversification since like Goldman Sachs, it too has a basis in the financial realm. In turning now to Dollar General, my choice to purchase its stock did not result from the reading of any one article. Instead the notion came from glimpsing what I deemed to be a rather favorable trend. In this trend, the corporations stock was listed (on more than three occasions prior to my finally making the purchase of it), among the New York Stock Exchanges list of stocks which had highs. Although in hindsight, my purchase timing may have been too late, given that I failed to consider that most things that go up will also eventually come back down. At that time however, I thought that I had made a fairly logical decision. Similar to my discovery of Dollar General, I also found US Airways Group listed among the percentage gainers and as such I decided to go ahead and purchase it as well. As it turns out, this decision was a lucrative one since this corporation was my only stock selection which afforded me a positive net gain at the completion of this portfolio assignment. The only other net gain achieved from my investment portfolio resulted from my purchase of shares in the Vanguard REIT ETF. This development was one that I found especially surprising since this exchange traded fund is one that consists of real estate, an industry that has not been incredibly well-off recently (Vanguard-Vanguard Fund). My initial purpose of making this investment was to add diversification to my portfolio, and given the fact that it earned me a profit when nearly all of the rest of my portfolio did not, lends to the idea that it was a good choice. Portfolio Performance Despite having what I deemed to be fairly sound rationale for my investment choices, after making the first transactions to set up my portfolio, I saw immediate losses on 50% of my investment choices. The outlook didnt get much better from there and just a quick glance at the graphical performance of my stock choices (found in the Graphical Representations) illustrates why. All stocks except for Goldman Sachs experienced major drops in market value before making slow rebounds. Rather than making a quick decline, Goldman Sachs descended slowly and doesnt appear to be rebounding any time in the near future. Figure 9 compares all of my portfolios investments to each other on a single graph. In reviewing it, it is quite obvious that the portfolio was not adequately diversified as most of the investments moved in step dropping and rising at nearly the same times, although not always to the same extent. In closing my portfolio I experienced a loss of $13,785. Throughout the performance o f the portfolio my highest overall gain was $1,210 from US Airways and my greatest overall loss was $8,060, resulting from my investment in Washington Post Company. Lessons Learned Given the immense deficit that I experienced as a result of my investment choices, I was able to take away a lot of lessons as a result of participating in this portfolio simulation. The first and possibly most important idea that I realized was the importance of detailed research. Reading a few articles and making sweeping assumptions does not guarantee that one will experience the return that they expect. I also learned that investing takes a lot of time, concentration, and patience. Especially given the volatile state of the stock market lately, having a tough skin and being able to quickly rebound from large losses is essential. After my first losses I quickly discovered that I didnt have the stomach to watch massive amounts of money swirl down the drain, whether real or simulated. I also felt pangs of buyers remorse, but instead of getting rid of some of my bad investments, I couldnt seem to let them go, instead preferring to hold on to this vague fantasy of a complete turnaro und possibly appearing out of nowhere. I also realized that there is no room for emotions when it comes to investing since most of my bad decisions resulted from emotions not based in logic or laced with concrete support. Additionally, I do feel that had I gotten started earlier, I may have had the opportunity to earn greater returns. In keeping on the topic of time, I also ascertained that a passive hold and wait strategy may not have been the best choice since there was simply not enough time to realistically expect high returns after holding the stocks for only a few days. If given the opportunity to do this project again after having taken this course, I would make a few simple changes which I feel could have really benefited me. I would make better use of the ratios that we learned which can indicate everything from liquidity to profitability. I would also have tried to more accurately diversify my portfolio such that I wouldnt have had such major losses. In engaging in this project prior to having learned all the topics covered in this course I truly feel like I was only able to scratch the surface of what it takes to be a good investor. While I realize that there are some changes that I could have definitely made to allow this project to go quite a bit a smoother, I do also feel that the makeup of the project itself could also be adjusted. A starting point or list of potential stock purchases to begin with would have been especially beneficial. Such an addition would certainly aid those students who, like me, may have also felt unprepared or lacking in direction. Nevertheless, I do recognize the value of being able to get hands-on experience as many times there is no better way to learn than by doing. As such, I truly feel that this project provided me with an experience that I wont soon forget, one that taught me volumes not only about investing, but also about myself. Figure 1: AutoZone Inc. Performance during Project Figure 2: Bank of Ame rica Corp. Performance during Project Figure 3: Dollar General Corp. Performance during Project Figure 4: Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Performance during Project Figure 5: US Airways Group Inc. Performance during Project Figure 6: Sprint Nextel Corp. Performance during Project Figure 7: Vanguard REIT ETF Performance during Project Figure 8: Washington Post Co. Performance during Project Figure 9: Entire Portfolio Performance during Project 5/13/2010 Cash $1,000,000.00 5/28/2010 AutoZone Inc. AZO US Stock Buy $191.92 500 $10.00 ($95,970.00) 5/28/2010 Bank of America Corp. BAC US Stock Buy $15.92 1,000.00 $10.00 ($15,930.00) 5/28/2010 Dollar General Corp. DG US Stock Buy $30.56 1,000.00 $10.00 ($30,570.00) 5/28/2010 Goldman Sachs Group Inc. GS US Stock Buy $144.81 500 $10.00 ($72,415.00) 5/28/2010 US Airways Group Inc. LCC US Stock Buy $8.70 1,000.00 $10.00 ($8,710.00) 5/28/2010 Sprint Nextel Corp. S US Stock Buy $5.21 1,000.00 $10.00 ($5,220.00) 5/28/2010 Vanguard REIT ETF VNQ US Stock Buy $49.67 1,000.00 $10.00 ($49,680.00) 5/28/2010 Washington Post Co. Cl B WPO US Stock Buy $467.30 500 $10.00 ($233,660.00) 6/11/2010 AutoZone Inc. AZO US Stock Sell $189.30 500 $10.00 $94,640.00 6/11/2010 Bank of America Corp. BAC US Stock Sell $15.60 1,000.00 $10.00 $15,590.00 6/11/2010 Dollar General Corp. DG US Stock Sell $29.97 1,000.00 $10.00 $29,960.00 6/11/2010 Goldman Sachs Group Inc. GS US Stock Sell $135.64 500 $10.00 $67,810.00 6/11/2010 US Airways Group Inc. LCC US Stock Sell $9.93 1,000.00 $10.00 $9,920.00 6/11/2010 Sprint Nextel Corp. S US Stock Sell $4.87 1,000.00 $10.00 $4,860.00 6/11/2010 Vanguard REIT ETF VNQ US Stock Sell $50.00 1,000.00 $10.00 $49,990.00 6/11/2010 Washington Post Co. Cl B WPO US Stock Sell $451.22 500 $10.00 $225,600.00Portfolio Transaction Listing