Karl Marx s Influence On Leadership And Legacy - 1129 Words

Ever since the creation of man, society has been trying to achieve harmony between its citizens and establish a utopia in which everyone can live in peace and harmony. During the 1800s many citizens of capitalist countries believed that they were living in this utopia, however the working class begged to differ. It was not until the mid-1800s that someone finally stood up for these proletarians as this man believed that the exploitation of members of the working class was unfair. This person was called Karl Marx. This German philosopher inspired workers to rise up and challenge injustices and exploitations. In addition, his views on life and the social structure of his time revolutionized the way people think. It was not until Karl Marx†¦show more content†¦However not much information is known about Henrietta. When Karl Marx turned 6 he was baptized along with his other siblings. Karl Marx had 8 siblings and was the third oldest of his siblings, five of which were sisters. Karl was educated at home until he was 12 then he enrolled in the Friedrich-Wilhelm Gymnasium. After graduating from Friedrich-Wilhelm, Marx entered Bonn University to study law but his father later removed him from this university as Karl was spending much of his time socializing and running up large debts. However, in the October of 1835 Marx was enrolled in the University of Berlin. In the University of Berlin Karl studied law, as a result of his father’s intent on Karl becoming a lawyer, and philosophy. While attending the University of Berlin, Karl joined a radical group of students called the Young Hegelians, who criticized the political and religious establishments of the day. This resulted in the start of Karl Marx becoming more politically zealous. At the same time Karl Marx had been secretly engaged to Jenny von Westphalen, an upper-class German. Already, Karl was starting to cause his father angst. After graduating from the University of Berlin, Karl Marx atten ded the University of Jena in hopes of earning his doctorate in philosophy in order to become a university lecturer. However, in 1838, Karl’s father, Heinrich, passed away.

System Integrity and Validation Kudler Foods Free Essays

Summary of Recommendations This company has established a new accounting information system to assist in all three stores. As part of this system, this firm recommends utilizing audit productivity software to enhance the system already recommended by this firm. Using audit productivity software will decrease the time necessary to audit the accounts as this will now be computerized. We will write a custom essay sample on System Integrity and Validation Kudler Foods or any similar topic only for you Order Now This will also increase profitability by decreasing money and time spent in the audit process and Kudler will be able to make alterations to the process more quickly than if audits were handled manually. Another recommendation by this firm would be the installation of continuous audit software that would continually monitor the data being input into the system. This would increase the effectiveness of auditing the stores. With the continuous audit software, Kudler would be able to follow-up on any abnormalities earlier as this software runs automatically. This would assist Kudler in handling any fraud issues that might arise as well. System Integrity and Validation Kudler Fine Foods hired this corporation to establish a new electronic data system to handle the accounting and inventory needs of the company. As part of the proposal, this company will recommend ways to audit the information that the system creates. Once the data has been input into the system, audit procedures can take place to ensure the information is correct and that the company is performing well. This company will help Kudler establish audit processes for each area of the business. As Kudler moves forward with the new automated accounting software as recommended earlier, it is important that an auditing process be established also. Since the accounting process has been converted to an accounting information system, computerized audit productivity software needs to be established as well. This will increase the productivity and profitability of Kudler because the data used by either internal auditors or external auditors can be more quickly obtained and analyzed than doing the process manually. Kudler will need to determine which software works best for the needs of the company. Electronic work papers have many features to evaluate which include the importing of data, the analysis of that data, being able to export this data to excel or other formats, and automatically generating the working papers at the conclusion of the audit. All the recommendations for Kudler Foods are to make the company more profitable and automated. Computer assisted auditing techniques (CAATs) â€Å"assist auditors in obtaining sufficient, reliable, relevant, and useful evidence to support predefined audit objectives† (Hunton, p. 184). It is important that Kudler audit the accounts even though the company is not a publically held company. As outlined previously, this company recommends different auditing techniques depending on the area being audited, but highly recommends the findings and recommendations audit to ensure that the new system is operating appropriately and the information is accurate. There are 10 key steps in the CAATs system that range from planning and implementation to documenting in the work papers. With each audit, it is critical that the auditor know what information is being looked for so when the data is accumulated, the auditor will understand the data and know if it is accurate. The auditor will work closely with the accounting personnel at Kudler to determine the objective of the audit. Based on the objective, the correct auditing format will be chosen. The ISACA Standards Board has issued guidelines governing the use of CAATs and provides guidance to the auditors. There are two categories of techniques that CAATs is used for. The first is to validate the application integrity, â€Å"the objective being to determine whether the source code has been compromised, either intentionally or unintentionally† (Hunton, p. 188). Tests might be run with a parallel simulation to determine if the software is working properly. In this situation, the auditor will create a test set of data and run the auditing techniques against that data. If the system creates the expected set of data, then the system is working as it should. The second category is to verify the data integrity. This technique centers around data extraction and analysis to ensure the data is imported and exported correctly. With using an automated system, Kudler auditors can pull all the information and test for accuracy or abnormalities instead of only being able to pull a sample of the data. These two techniques help to validate the testing that will occur against the real data being reviewed for Kudler Foods. The CAATs is also used to detect any type of fraud that is occurring within the company. By using an automated accounting system along with the automated auditing system, Kudler has the ability to review 100% of the data and locate duplicates and gaps in the data. By using an automated system, Kudler can not only validate the integrity of the application and data, but also determine what could possibly be missing. A continuous audit technique might be one choice to consider for Kudler as it might work well for detecting fraud. A continue audit would be a program that is imbedded within the software that will look for things outside the norm. This would enable Kudler to find erroneous information faster. According to investopidia (2013), a continuous audit is â€Å"an auditing process that examines accounting practices continuously throughout the year. Continuous audits are usually technology-driven and designed to automate error checking and data verification in real time. A continuous audit driven system generates alarm triggers that provide advance notice about anomalies and errors detected by the system. † By using the continuous audit, this could be a time saver not only in auditing but in detecting the issues within the system and correcting them more quickly. How to cite System Integrity and Validation Kudler Foods, Papers System Integrity and Validation Kudler Foods Free Essays This company has established a new accounting information system to assist in all three stores. As part of this system, this firm recommends utilizing audit productivity software to enhance the system already recommended by this firm. Using audit productivity software will decrease the time necessary to audit the accounts as this will now be computerized. We will write a custom essay sample on System Integrity and Validation Kudler Foods or any similar topic only for you Order Now This will also increase profitability by decreasing money and time spent in the audit process and Kudler will be able to make alterations to the process more quickly than if audits were handled manually. Another recommendation by this firm would be the installation of continuous audit software that would continually monitor the data being input into the system. This would increase the effectiveness of auditing the stores. With the continuous audit software, Kudler would be able to follow-up on any abnormalities earlier as this software runs automatically. This would assist Kudler in handling any fraud issues that might arise as well. System Integrity and Validation Kudler Fine Foods hired this corporation to establish a new electronic data system to handle the accounting and inventory needs of the company. As part of the proposal, this company will recommend ways to audit the information that the system creates. Once the data has been input into the system, audit procedures can take place to ensure the information is correct and that the company is performing well. This company will help Kudler establish audit processes for each area of the business. As Kudler moves forward with the new automated accounting software as recommended earlier, it is important that an auditing process be established also. Since the accounting process has been converted to an accounting information system, computerized audit productivity software needs to be established as well. This will increase the productivity and profitability of Kudler because the data used by either internal auditors or external auditors can be more quickly obtained and analyzed than doing the process manually. Kudler will need to determine which software works best for the needs of the company. Electronic work papers have many features to evaluate which include the importing of data, the analysis of that data, being able to export this data to excel or other formats, and automatically generating the working papers at the conclusion of the audit. All the recommendations for Kudler Foods are to make the company more profitable and automated. Computer assisted auditing techniques (CAATs) â€Å"assist auditors in obtaining sufficient, reliable, relevant, and useful evidence to support predefined audit objectives† (Hunton, p. 184). It is important that Kudler audit the accounts even though the company is not a publically held company. As outlined previously, this company recommends different auditing techniques depending on the area being audited, but highly recommends the findings and recommendations audit to ensure that the new system is operating appropriately and the information is accurate. There are 10 key steps in the CAATs system that range from planning and implementation to documenting in the work papers. With each audit, it is critical that the auditor know what information is being looked for so when the data is accumulated, the auditor will understand the data and know if it is accurate. The auditor will work closely with the accounting personnel at Kudler to determine the objective of the audit. Based on the objective, the correct auditing format will be chosen. The ISACA Standards Board has issued guidelines governing the use of CAATs and provides guidance to the auditors. There are two categories of techniques that CAATs is used for. The first is to validate the application integrity, â€Å"the objective being to determine whether the source code has been compromised, either intentionally or unintentionally† (Hunton, p. 188). Tests might be run with a parallel simulation to determine if the software is working properly. In this situation, the auditor will create a test set of data and run the auditing techniques against that data. If the system creates the expected set of data, then the system is working as it should. The second category is to verify the data integrity. This technique centers around data extraction and analysis to ensure the data is imported and exported correctly. With using an automated system, Kudler auditors can pull all the information and test for accuracy or abnormalities instead of only being able to pull a sample of the data. These two techniques help to validate the testing that will occur against the real data being reviewed for Kudler Foods. The CAATs is also used to detect any type of fraud that is occurring within the company. By using an automated accounting system along with the automated auditing system, Kudler has the ability to review 100% of the data and locate duplicates and gaps in the data. By using an automated system, Kudler can not only validate the integrity of the application and data, but also determine what could possibly be missing. A continuous audit technique might be one choice to consider for Kudler as it might work well for detecting fraud. A continue audit would be a program that is imbedded within the software that will look for things outside the norm. This would enable Kudler to find erroneous information faster. According to investopidia (2013), a continuous audit is â€Å"an auditing process that examines accounting practices continuously throughout the year. Continuous audits are usually technology-driven and designed to automate error checking and data verification in real time. A continuous audit driven system generates alarm triggers that provide advance notice about anomalies and errors detected by the system. † By using the continuous audit, this could be a time saver not only in auditing but in detecting the issues within the system and correcting them more quickly. How to cite System Integrity and Validation Kudler Foods, Papers

Optimism An Important Part of Survival in College Essay Sample free essay sample

Research Issue Optimism is a peculiar component of human development that involves a individual holding positive ideas about life and populating itself. Although remaining with a positive attitude towards populating seems to be an easy attack to the things experienced. its existent application appears to be the hardest process of remaining alive in this disruptive universe of challenges and disheartenments. WHAT has happened to optimism? Has it become a casualty in this modern universe that marks its rhythms by its wars? Before World War I optimism had reached an all-time extremum. A glorious hereafter was foreseen. Declared an high British solon. William Ewart Gladstone: â€Å"The universe grows better from century to century. Let pessimism be absent from our heads. and allow optimism throw its glorification over all our psyches and all our lives henceforth and of all time. † That â€Å"henceforth† was all excessively short. for where is optimism in this postwar universe? For many people it is dead. Hope for optimism is dead. says Chaplain John McGill Krumm of Columbia University. Talking to senior pupils. the university chaplain declared that he thought the most serious casualty of the 20th century was the â€Å"death of optimism. † The traditional position of optimism. that â€Å"things will acquire better. † said the reverend. is dead. â€Å"We have the ability to do the Earth uninhabitable. All that stands between us and that destiny is the hapless small shop of wisdom and forbearance and good will that mankind and its leaders have been able to breed. † Anyone who has looked at life with an oculus to history. he explained. could barely be an optimist now. The state of affairs today. he said. is â€Å"absolutely alone in history. † and optimism is dead â€Å"beyond any hope of Resurrection. †Ã¢â‚¬â€New York Times. May 30. 1955. Not merely reverends have put optimism’s name in the obituary column. Politicians. scientists and historiographers in mounting Numberss admit that. though they believe in the inevitableness of alteration. they can anticipate nil but a dark hereafter. Declared Adlai Stevenson. after Eisenhower’s triumph last twelvemonth: â€Å"Let us give the Administration all responsible support in the troubled times in front. † So optimism’s decease has non left a vacancy in the house of world ; pessimism has moved in with all its glooming luggage. including a chestful of popular books about a dark tomorrow. Even novels sound the somber. pessimistic note. In Philip Wylie’s H. G. Wellsian novel Tomorrow! New York is hydrogenized to a chip and Washington is turned into adust land area by Kremlin bombs. Nonfiction books are every bit black. In his The Following Million Years Charles Darwin. a theoretical physicist. makes a long-range prognosis: the ultimate hereafter of the human race. concludes the author. will be much like its past—deplorable. That pupil of history and political relations. Elmer Davis. takes a close expression at the immediate hereafter in his Two Minutes Till Midnight: â€Å"We are confronting a despairing battle. and there is no certainty at all that we are traveling to win: these are decisions that few people will accept if they can happen any other manner out. † Hypothesiss True. with the many challenges that worlds need to confront today. there is are 100s of grounds out at that place that suggests that optimism is surely needed by the human society. In this peculiar survey. the usage of optimism in the procedure of lasting College life shall be noted as the focal point of the research. Through the said focal point of the subject. the research worker shall mensurate the degree of optimism that is present in the college societies today. The thought that this survey aims to turn out is to demo how much optimism straight affects the full system of understanding that college pupils peculiarly have towards their surveies therefore impacting the ways of accomplishment that are applicable to them in their ain picks of calling. Proposed Review of Literature A recent survey conducted in Finland reaffirmed the belief that pessimism can increase the hazard of mental and physical unwellness. whereas optimism can advance good wellness. About 2. 500 work forces between the ages of 42 and 60 were observed over a period of from 4 to 10 old ages. Harmonizing to the magazine Science News. scientists reported that the work forces with â€Å"moderate to high hopelessness died. . . at two to three times the rate of those describing low or no hopelessness ; the former group besides developed malignant neoplastic disease and bosom onslaughts more often. † True. the degree of pessimism in the universe today is so dismaying and instead upseting particularly with the immature grownups who are seemingly go toing school for better lives in the hereafter. However. with their pessimistic position of their surveies every bit good as with their lives. they end up neglecting their classs and neglecting themselves every bit good. This is a immense component of challenge among pupils today. Obviously. this attack to surveies has made several pupils less interested in school and are therefore faced with the quandary of really managing existent school activities and holding an purpose to accomplish higher than what they could really make for. The surveies. researches and other book mentions that shall be used in this survey shall be authorized through pre-arranged lineations as to how helpful the said mentions would be in turn outing the chief subject of the survey which refers to optimism as a cardinal component of attitude among college pupils for them to be able to last their surveies. Several universe studies gathered from the cyberspace and other periodicals shall besides be utilised efficaciously to convey out several graphical presentations that shall be expeditiously used to formalize the consequences and discussion subdivision of the survey. Methodology Approach To be able to show actual-based consequences of the survey. the research worker shall incorporate the consequences of the mentions mentioned earlier with the existent survey-interview process that the researcher shall execute towards at least 20 college pupils present in a certain university but are taking different classs severally. This shall give a better contemplation of what really inspires pupils to remain in the class that they are analyzing at present though they are at times merely forced to take the said Fieldss of understanding. Outside the figure of the 20 pupils. there would besides be another group of other 20 Out of School Youths who would besides reply a separate sheet of informational study that would bespeak why they are non traveling to school at nowadays. From the said interviews. the consequences shall be gathered and presented through graphical presentations. The separation of the consequences of the college pupils shall be separated from the consequences of the out of school young persons at first. Subsequently on. to convey out the importance of optimism in the procedure of developing pupils or youths the similar. the said consequences shall be integrated to be able to call the grounds behind the fact that the colleges pupils stay where they are and the out of school young persons intend to remain out of school premises as they already out. A brief presentation of the background of several chosen interviewees shall besides be shown to help the readers in placing what optimism peculiarly played in the lives of the said persons. Expectations and Premises Through this survey. the research worker aims to equilibrate the presentation of the different elements that involve optimism in the lives of college pupils and how they are peculiarly helped by the said attitude to remain where they are amidst all the challenges that they are supposed to confront in the procedure of graduating. With the usage of the presentations that are to be shown in this survey. the elucidation of the importance of optimism shall be intelligibly noted through exemplifying accounts of the state of affairs by which the interviewees of the survey responded severally. SOME individuals go through life with a carefree. carefree frame of head. Such normally are happily unmindful of universe conditions. Those who genuinely are cognizant of universe conditions frequently are really discerning of the hereafter. Thus the New York Times. June 12. 1955. editorialized as follows: â€Å"We have now long lived in a sort of winter of the modern universe. Fear has chilled the blood in our venas and. queerly plenty. there has non been adequate hatred to warm it. This is really non a period of enormous battle. It is. instead. a period of apprehensiveness. This is so. and possibly in the terminal will come to look fortuitously so. because the universe can no longer afford to show its hate—because in black truth hatred is now self-destructive. hatred has become the concluding iciness of decease. † This is the peculiar ground why the research worker expects that this survey shall be strongly utile particularly for pupils holding a difficult clip unders tanding how they are supposed to last their school old ages. Mentions: Segerstrom. Suzanne C. . Shelley E. Taylor. Margaret E. Kemeny. and John L. Fahey. ‘Optimism is Associated With Mood. Coping. and Immune Change in Response to Stress’ . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Vol. 74. No. 6. Seligman. Martin E. P. ( 2002 ) . Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Recognize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment. New York: Free Press. p. 275. ( ISBN 0-7432-2297-0 ) . Patterson. T. G. . A ; Joseph. S. ( 2007 ) . Person-centered personality theory: Support from self-government theory and positive psychological science. Journal of Humanistic Psychology. 47 ( 1 ) . 117-139. Fredrickson. B. L. . Mancuso. R. A. . Branigan. C. . A ; Tugade. M. M. ( 2000 ) . The undoing consequence of positive emotions. Motivation and Emotion. 24. 237-258.

Scholarship Essay Shit Essays - Central Processing Unit,

Scholarship Essay Shit No greater contribution can be made to a specific field than research that leads to the development of a new and superior technology. Universities and businesses constantly attempt to remain on the cutting edge of new design, manufacturing, and application systems through research and development. If I were given the opportunity to conduct my own research, I would dedicate my efforts to the design of computer processing chips with the goal of increasing their speed and computational ability. It is now possible to construct memory chips almost atom by atom, allowing for nearly infinite circuitry capacity. My research would attempt to design a chip that could process data faster, and with more accuracy, than is presently possible. This chip could then handle more complex software, process data from CD's, and handle Internet applications at a faster rate, allowing for equalization with the increase in speed of CD ROM drives and modems. The procedure for this research would entail first learning as much as possible about the design of present chips, the specific materials that I might want to include as conductors, and which metals are easiest to manipulate. Next I would lay out the chip and attempt to construct it with existing technology. Finally, I would need to test it in an effort to make modifications and improvements in the original design. The computer age presents wonderful opportunities, and any research that promotes the facile use of PC or network systems will help advance this cause. For this reason, I would dedicate my year of research to improvements in the design of central processing units. Acceptance Essays

Using Reflexive Verbs in Spanish

Using Reflexive Verbs in Spanish A verb is used reflexively when the subject of the verb is also its object. An example of a simple sentence using a reflexive verb is Pedro se lava (Pedro is washing himself). In that sentence Pedro is both the subject (the one doing the washing) and the object (the person begin washed). Note that the reflexive pronoun (in this case se) typically precedes the verb (although it can be attached to infinitives). Key Takeaways: Spanish Reflexive Verbs The subject and object of a reflexive verb is the same. For example: She is watching herself in the mirror.Not all Spanish reflexive verbs are translated as reflexive in English.Reflexive verbs can be used for emphasis or to avoid saying who is performing the verbs action. Here are the main ways such verbs are used: Verb's Subject Acting on Itself As in the example above, this is the most straightforward use of reflexive verbs, and it is certainly the most common way they are used in English. In plural form the pronoun can often be translated as themselves or each other, depending on the context. Some examples: Puedo verme en el espejo. (I can see myself in the mirror.) ¿Quà © te compraste? (What did you buy for yourself?)Se estaban admirando. (They were admiring themselves. Or, they were admiring each other.)Pablo se habla. (Pablo talks to himself.) Verbs Used Only in Reflexive Form Some verbs in Spanish are used only in the reflexive form, and they may or may not be translated to English using a reflexive construction. In dictionaries, such verbs traditionally are listed with a se at the end of the infinitive, as in abstenerse, which means to abstain. Me abstengo de votar. (I am abstaining from voting.)Teresa se arrepentià ³ de sus errors. (Teresa regretted her errors.)Me resigno a no tener dinero. (I am resigning myself to having no money.) Reflexive Verbs Translated as Nonreflexive Verbs Some Spanish verbs make perfect sense when understood in a reflexive way, but we typically dont translate them that way into English. For example, levantar means to lift, while its reflexive counterpart, levantarse, could be understood to mean to lift oneself, but is usually translated as to get up. Quiero baà ±arme. (I want to take a bath. Literally, I want to bathe myself.) ¡Sià ©ntate! (Sit down! Literally, seat yourself!)Voy a vestirme. (I am going to get dressed. Literally, I am going to dress myself.)Me afeito cada maà ±ana. (I shave every morning. Literally, I shave myself every morning.)Patricia se acercà ³ la casa. (Patricia approached the house. Literally, Patricia brought herself closer to the house.)Se llama Eva. (Her name is Eva. Literally, she calls herself Eva.) Verbs Changing Meaning in Reflexive Form Making a verb reflexive can change its meaning in ways that arent always predictable. Sometimes the difference in meaning is subtle. Following are some common examples; not all possible meanings of the verbs are included. abonar, to pay money; abonarse, to subscribe (as to a periodical)abrir, to open; abrirse, to open up (in the sense of confiding in someone)acordar, to agree, to decide; acordarse, to rememberacusar, to accuse; acusarse, to confesscallar, to be quiet; callarse, to become quietcerrar, to close; cerrarse, to close oneself off emotionallycombinar, to combine; combinarse (plural forms), to take turnsdormir, to sleep; dormirse, to fall asleepir, to go; irse, to go awayllevar, to carry; llevarse, to take awayponer, to put; ponerse, to put on, to wearsalir, to leave; salirse, to leave unexpectedly, to leak Reflexive Verbs for Emphasis Some verbs can be used reflexively to add emphasis. The distinction isnt always readily translated to English. For example, comà ­ la hamburguesa, means I ate the hamburger, but the reflexive form, me comà ­ la hamburguesa, could be translated the same way, or perhaps as I ate up the hamburger or I ate the whole hamburger. Similarly, pià ©nsalo might be translated as think about it, whereas pià ©nsatelo might be translated the same way or as think about it thoroughly. The 'Reflexive Passive' Often, particularly with inanimate objects, the reflexive form is used to indicate an occurrence without indicating the person or thing responsible for that occurrence. Such uses of the reflexive are typically the equivalent of passive verb forms in English, as in the following examples: Se cerraron las puertas. (The doors were closed.)Se habla espaà ±ol aquà ­. (Spanish is spoken here.)Se venden recuerdos. (Souvenirs are sold, or souvenirs for sale.) Reflexive Forms for Emotional Reactions Emotional reactions are often indicated by reflexive verb forms. For example, enojar means to anger. In the reflexive form, enojarse means to become angry or to be angry. Thus, se enoja contra su amigo could be used to say, he gets angry at his friend. Among the many verbs used in such a way are aburrirse, to be bored; alegrarse, to be happy; dolerse, to be hurt; emocionarse, to be excited; horrizarse, to be horrified; and sorprenderse, to be surprised.

Drain Cleaner Can Dissolve Glass

Drain Cleaner Can Dissolve Glass Just about everyone knows many acids are corrosive. For example, hydrofluoric acid can dissolve glass. Did you know strong bases can be corrosive, too? An example of a base sufficiently corrosive to eat glass is sodium hydroxide (NaOH), which is a common solid drain cleaner. You can test this for yourself by setting a glass container in hot sodium hydroxide, but you need to be extremely careful. Glass Dissolver Sodium hydroxide is perfectly capable of dissolving your skin in addition to glass. Also, it reacts with other chemicals, so you have to be certain you perform this project in a steel or iron container. Test the container with a magnet if you are unsure, because the other metal commonly used in pans, aluminum, reacts vigorously with sodium hydroxide. The sodium hydroxide reacts with the silicon dioxide in glass to form sodium silicate and water: 2NaOH SiO2 → Na2SiO3 H2O Dissolving glass in molten sodium hydroxide probably wont do your pan any favors, so chances are youll want to throw it out when you are done. Neutralize the sodium hydroxide with acid before disposing of the pan or attempting to clean it. If you dont have access to a chemistry lab, this could be achieved with a whole lot of vinegar (weak acetic acid) or a smaller volume of muriatic acid (hydrochloric), or you can wash the sodium hydroxide away with lots and lots of water. You may not be interested in destroying glassware for science, but its still worth knowing why it is important to remove dishes from your sink if you are planning to use solid drain cleaner and why its not a good idea to use more than the recommended amount of the product.

Nuclear power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nuclear power - Essay Example Thermal reactors are common in many nuclear plants in the world since they mainly use thermal fission. Thermal neutrons move within thermal equilibrium at a temperature of about 550F, corresponding to a velocity of 3700 meters per second (Virtual Nuclear Tourist 1). On striking a uranium- 235 nucleus with the fuel, the nucleus sometimes split or fission into two unequally sized nuclei known as fission fragments. The fission products comprise large positively charged particles of elements such as Iodine or Strontium. The fission products slow down immediately and producing heat in the fuel. Moreover, 2 and 3 neutrons are produced in the process. The moderator decelerates the neutrons to the thermal energy. Neutrons do not travel very far within the reactor. They are generated from fission in the fuel, jump around in the moderator, then lose a large amount of their energies and later causes fission (Virtual Nuclear Tourist 1). The aim of nuclear fission is to generate heat. Thus, the coolant removes the heat and maintains the temperature of the fuel within tolerable limits (Virtual Nuclear Tourist 1). It also cools the moderator, which can also be used to cool the fuel. In some cases, it also cools the fuel by moving round the rods holding the fuel. The fuel within the reactor exists in the form of pellets of made of uranium dioxide or metal dioxide. There exists two or more isotopes of uranium and includes U- 235 and U 238 (Virtual Nuclear Tourist 1). U -238 is common in nature and has 146 neutrons and 92 protons. The remaining portion comprise of U – 235 and U 234. In commercial nuclear reactors, the fuel has a higher concentration of U- 235 compared to the level found in nature. It will undergo thermal and fast fission when struck by neutrons. Consequently, U – 238 will also undergo fission when struck by quick moving neutrons of specific energies and can in some case absorb

Study of nti socil behviour nd violent conduct t UK night clubs Essay

Study of nti socil behviour nd violent conduct t UK night clubs - Essay Example Youth-oriented communities s well s dults, tht visit the clubs, crete the tmosphere of love, unity, tolernce nd hppiness tht is expressed through dncing, communiction nd other rnge of ctivities tht my not lwys entil socilly cceptble behviours. s the result of such relxing conditions in night clubs, the number of socil problems my pper. Specificlly, the problem of lcohol misuse nd illegl expnsion of drugs is one of the widely spred chrcteristic of night clubs. Drug use nd lcohol is intended to enhnce clubbers' senstions nd boost their energy so they cn dnce for long periods. While the first problem is generlly cceptble behviour (lcohol is normlly uthorised to sell out in brs of the night clubs), the second problem my led to the vriety of nti-socil behviourl expressions nd violence. Deling ppropritely with the violence cused by the use of lcohol nd drugs is difficult for police. On the one hnd, police often fce substntil pressure from minstrem society to put n end to drugs nd lcohol uthority in night clubs, usully through ggressive lw enforcement. On the other hnd, the tmosphere creted by "esy" (Morris, 1998) drugs nd lcohol is enormously populr mong significnt minority of teengers nd young dults, most of whom re generlly lw biding nd responsible. Strict enforcement efforts cn liente key segment of this popultion from government in generl, nd the police in prticulr. To be sure, lcohol cn pose genuine risks, but those risks re frequently exggerted in the public's mind. It is importnt tht police recognize tht most lcohol-relted hrms hppen to the clubbers themselves, nd while clubbers re not wholly responsible for those hrms, they willingly ssume much of the risk for them. ccordingly, night club prty problems re t lest s much public helth problems s they re crime nd disorder problems. It is criticl to estblish solid bse of fcts bout night clubs-relted hrms in the community, fcts from which to intelligently develop locl policies nd responses. The principl night clubs-relted concerns for police tht re considered to result in nti-socil nd violent behviour re s follows: - drug overdoses nd ssocited medicl hzrds: some drugs when overdosed cn bring to the stte of "shg frenzy", incresing chnces of ctching HIV nd other sexul trnsmitted disesed. (Morris, 1998) - drug trfficking nd the potentil for violence ssocited with it: different wys of drug trfficking my led to misunderstnding between drug delers nd result in nti-socil conducts such s street fights, robberies or murder; - noise (from loud music, crowds nd trffic): usully clubs re situted in one re specificlly llocted for night life; however there re clubs tht my be creted in plces where people live which will cuse problems in terms of noises t night s well s other outcomes of nti-socil behviour resulted from drug nd lcohol use; (Morris, 1998) - driving under the influence: this is the problem tht oftentimes results in cr ccidents. In view of the bove finding nd the resercher's interest in further evlution nd detection of problem re, the proposed explntory reserch study is imed to investigte the following subject: nticiption of nti socil behviour nd violent conduct t UK night clubs Generlly, the problem tht is rised in this pper concerns the connection of lcohol nd drugs use nd violent behviour. From one side it is regrded the problem of using clubbers' drugs rther thn lcohol in

The Western Region of Abu Dhabi Essay Example for Free

The Western Region of Abu Dhabi Essay The Western Region of Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirates is suffering from a high illiteracy rate among adult nationals who are aged 40years and above. Due to the lack of reports/academic publications available for improving this condition, a research work is carried out towards investigating the reasons and providing feasible solutions to overcome this pathetic situation in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi. The research also aims at providing reasons why illiterate citizens didn’t participate in the adult education program organized for them and the effectiveness of VIP classes in solving the high illiteracy among older adults. The main purpose of the study was to understand the minimal requirements for adult learning, steps taken by government towards resolving this issue and the alternatives available to overcome this issue. The outcome of research was based on informal educational program in Western Region, where a group of illiterate female adults aged above 40 years participated in a survey/interview. The enormous data collected from the participants during survey helped in analysis towards originating a set of recommended actions and evolution of a proposal for reducing the illiteracy rate in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi with the help of Western Region Development Council and their stakeholders to pilot test the VIP adult learning program in some cities. The participation survey conducted for VIP adult learning program was positive, which conclude that the implementation of VIP adult learning program is an effective solution to overcome high illiteracy rate among adult nationals who are aged 40years and above.

Folklore in the Movies: An Analysis of Willow :: Comparison Compare Contrast Essays

Folklore in the Movies: An Analysis of Willow My research for this report began when I read Joseph Campbell's article "Departure" in which he discusses folklore; he outlines the course of action that a hero takes in an adventure. He describes the five steps the hero takes as "the call to adventure, the refusal of the adventure, use of supernatural aid, crossing of the first threshold, and the belly of the whale." After reading Campbell's criteria of an adventure, I decided to choose a movie and see how it ties into Campbell's outline of an adventure. The movie I chose was Willow and in this report I will note how it complies with Campbell's outline. Upon finishing Willow I was able to confirm that it did indeed fall into the five criteria in Campbell's article. In Willow Queen Bavmorda seeks control of the world, and she knows that an infant will be born with a mark on its arm and this infant will be able to stop her from gaining power. Therefore, she inspects every child that is born; upon discovering the child with the mark, she will promptly have it killed. One day Willow's children Ranon and Mims find a baby while playing in the river. This child happens to bear the mark for which Queen Bavmorda is searching. The children take the baby to their father. Willow takes the baby to the High Aldwin, and he tells Willow that the safety of the city depends on him and that the baby must be taken across the great river to the Dakini crossroads. This is Willow's call to adventure; it is "a blunder" of "the merest chance", and Willow is thrust "into a relationship with forces that are not rightly understood" (Campbell 1). As Campbell expresses in his article and as is apparent in most adventure movies, Willow is not completely convinced and willing to go on this trip to take the baby back to its homeland. Ranon reminds him of the dangers he may encounter on his way to returning the baby such as fairies, brownies, dragons, and trolls. Willow gets upset at Ranon for mentioning trolls because he knows how much he fears them. Willow is also reluctant to leave his wife and children. Kaiya reminds him that they have never been apart before, and it is apparent that Willow is experiencing feelings of guilt.

Courage in To Kill a Mockingbird Essay

The book, To Kill a Mockingbird, is told from the point of view of a girl named Scout Finch. The story is set in a predominantly white neighborhood. Scout’s father is a lawyer, and the story begins when he is tasked to defend an African-American wrongly accused of raping a white woman (Lee 2002). The involvement of Atticus Finch in this case brings upon them verbal and physical abuse, such that Scout almost fought off her aggressors in school with her fists (Lee 2002). Her father, Atticus, tells her not to be provoked, to keep out of trouble, as they should not mind what other people are saying (Lee 2002).   This shows what Plutarch is saying regarding courage: â€Å"Courage consists not in hazarding fear, but being resolutely minded in a just cause.† For sure, Atticus is fearful for his strong-willed daughter and son; however, he is resolute on defending Tom Robinson. Atticus’ courage is not about skirting fear, but seeing only the justification for taking on Tom Robinson’s case. Like a horse with blinders, Atticus is focused on the case. This is why he does not want Scout or Scout’s brother Jem, to fight other people when they taunt the children regarding the case: other people do not matter. As long as Atticus knows that what he is doing is right, opinions of other people should not bother him. This is what he is trying to instill upon his children. He is also trying to teach them that courage does not only come from one’s fist or the barrel of the gun; courage is being deciding to follow through with a decision whatever it takes, regarding the insurmountable challenges. This for me is one of the aspects of courage. It is important to be resolute on a decision. As people say, obstacles occur when our mind is taken off the goal. It also takes courage to keep one’s eyes on the goal, to ignore the obstacles in our peripheral vision. No matter how insurmountable the challenge is, we still have to go for it, especially if we believe it to be right. Our world is shaped by people faced with impossibilities, yet they did not give up. These people caused the French Revolution, invented light bulbs, fought for women’s suffrage. We all live in a better world today because of them, and they did it because they had courage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Courage I feel, is also found in everyday decisions. Obviously, it takes courage to sign the document that would start the Manhattan project, but courage is also involved when one befriends a stranger too. Scout does this in the book, befriending and trying to see what the world is like for Boo Radley (Lee 2002). Other people shun him, and make up horrible stories instead, but Scout has the courage of a child not yet corrupted by the world. In the end, she realizes that he is a good person. This is a courageous act, admitting your mistake, and accepting someone ostracized by society. Scout may not be aware of the implications of her action, but she flouted her neighborhood’s notion of propriety (just like her dad), and reinstating the fact that humans are above the standards we set for ourselves. This is courage too. And I believe that this is the hardest of all to do. To fight injustices in your everyday life is not only exhausting but harrowing, yet this is one area you will be able to do your most. Everyday decisions require staunchness of decision; these decisions are not â€Å"one-time big-time† deals. You will live with the effects of these decisions for every single day of the rest of your life, and the effects will be magnified.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Courage also must precede all other qualities. If one does not have the courage to do what is right, even if one has a sense of what is right and wrong, this knowledge will not be put to use, because fear will convolute one’s sense of right and wrong. Winston Churchill once said, â€Å"Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees all others.† In the book, Atticus was courageous enough to follow through with his conviction that Tom Robinson is innocent (Lee 2002). He knows he will inevitably lose the case, as the jury is all-white (Lee 2002). Yet, he forges on. If he did not push through with his decision, or if he wavers, we would not have seen his other attributes: a responsible and loving father, an understanding neighbor, an upright man. If he had let himself be dwarfed by fear, we would not have seen the other qualities, as these have all been dwarfed by fear.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is another aspect to courage I must point out: courage is not being able to not know fear while undertaking a difficult task. Courage knows this fear, even before one accepts the task, and yet goes on with it anyway. Courage, for me, knows fear, of being fully aware of the implications of your decision, and you continue because you will not forgive yourself if you did not do the right thing or if you continue so that those who come after you will not be placed in the same situation. This for me is the essence of courage: of making a decision, and acting upon it, so that other people will not have to make the same decision because you have made the world a better place to live in. Courage prefers to go out like a blaze in the night. It is, to quote Dylan Thomas, to go not gently into the night, and to rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Globalization And Tesco Essay

Terms of Reference The aim of this report is to give a detailed explanation of globalisation, what its main drivers are, its undesirable effects, how big a part Tesco plays in going global and what political, economic, sociocultural, technological and legal forces a multinational organisation might face when expanding into other countries. Main Body Globalisation Globalisation is the integration of the world’s domestic economies into one single international market. It can also be defined as the ‘death of distance’ (Cairncross, 1997). Globalisation allows for the free trade of goods and services between nations; it allows workers to be employed more easily around the world; it allows businesses to benefit from foreign direct investment (FDI) and it allows markets to develop at a faster rate due to the interchange of new technological advances and intellectual knowledge. The process of globalisation is motivated largely by the desire of multinational corporations to increase profit but also by the motivation of individual national governments to tap into the wider macroeconomic and social benefits that come from greater trade in goods, services and the free flow of financial capital. * The term globalisation is generally used to describe an increasing internationalisation of markets for goods and services, the means of production, financial systems, competition, corporations, technology and industries. Amongst other things this gives rise to increased mobility of capital, faster propagation of technological innovations and an increasing interdependency and uniformity of national markets. (OECD, 2001). The process of globalisation has several main drivers apart from of course multinational companies wanting to expand. Barriers to international trade are falling, tariffs and other import controls have declined making it  cheaper and easier to trade between countries. Trading blocs allow for the free trade between countries within it, the EU has become the most powerful trading bloc in the world with a GDP nearly as large as that of the United States. There has been a major improvement in transportation, for example, containerisation greatly reduces the expense of international trade and increases its speed, especially of consumer goods and commodities, bringing prices down in the country of manufacture and closer to the prices in the export market. Deregulation of global financial markets allows for FDI and an increase in the free flow of money. Tesco – A Global Organisation Tesco is the largest chain of supermarket within the UK; it dominates the market with a share of 25%, making it a monopoly. The company has become successful through strong marketing techniques, good store location and efficient inventory management. It was one of the first to recognise that there was a gap in the market for unbranded value goods, which helped it to fast-track to the leading position in the UK in the early 1990’s. In 1995, Tesco overtook Sainsbury’s as the UK’s largest supermarket (www.corporatewatch.org) so as the company grew stronger and generated a larger cash flow, management decided that the only way to expand even further was to invest abroad. When Tesco researched into international markets they decided that entering into countries where there were already well established supermarkets would not be the best option as they would struggle with tough competition. Unless Tesco invested heavily into research and development (R+D) in these established markets, they would not be able to compete with domestic chains that would already have a clear understanding of the needs and wants of their consumers. They decided to expand into emerging economies where there was little competition such as Eastern Europe and Asia. Tesco initially expanded into Ireland and France but ‘The perceived success (or otherwise) of their early venture abroad would have been considered insignificant to the company’s fortunes at home, and as a result, this largely undermined the company’s (perceived) efforts in the eyes of the financial markets as being a peripheral and/or even a distraction to the  core UK business’ (Palmer, 2005). So in 1995, according to Tescoplc.com, Tesco’s first port of call was Hungary, this was also the year they introduced the Tesco Clubcard (www.tescoplc.com), this shows that as well as wanting to expand abroad, Tesco still wanted to build and retain a customer loyalty in the UK. Tesco expanded into Hungary as well as the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland by acquiring large stakes in domestic retailers. This strategy of expanding was clearly successful as Tesco now have over 205 stores in Hungary, one of which is the biggest store in the world and over 21,000 employees (www.tescoplc.com). By merging with domestic retailers there was a lot less risk than building new supermarkets as these companies had a deeper understanding of the markets they were participating in and allowed Tesco to gain an understanding of specific consumer demands in different countries, but without the financial strength of Tesco these companies would not have been able to expand much further. In 1998, Tesco expanded again into Taiwan and Thailand, with the same business venture of acquiring shares of well knows retailers. China, being one of the world’s BRIC economies would clearly be of interest to a fast expanding western company, this is because of its advances towards capitalism and its low labour costs. The move into China came in 2004. After much deliberation with potential partners, Tesco settled on a joint venture with Hymall who had been operating in china for 6 years. This was their biggest move yet as there was so much potential to expand at a much faster rate in a growing economy. By 2007 after having investments in 46 stores, they had enough customer awareness to be to open their own branded store (www.bbc.co.uk/news). Asda is Tesco’s biggest rival in the UK, in 1999 it was taken over by the American superstore Wal-Mart. This would have influenced Tesco to increase its performance as even though Asda is not as big in the UK, Wal-Mart is the biggest company in the world and would have the financial capacity to increase the competitiveness of Asda – ‘The takeover has far-reaching consequences for British retail as other companies react to it and find new ways to compete’ (Corporate Watch, 2004). How is Tesco affected by international Political, Economic, Sociocultural, Technological and Legal forces? Tesco operates in six other countries of the EU apart from the UK so its performance is now affected by the European Union (EU). Different tax policies, trade restrictions and tariffs will apply across every border, Tesco will need to include these differences when calculating their costs. In the UK, corporation tax lies between 20%-26%, but in comparison it is 40.69% in Japan. Multinational companies will need to take into consideration how much influence the government has over the country of potential investment – i.e. whether it is a dictatorship or democracy etc., and whether there is too much state control that could prevent the company from working efficiently and producing enough profit. As Tesco continues to expand, it may encounter problems with different monopoly regulations and competition authorities. In the UK, the Competition Commission investigates all mergers and take overs and ensures that there is healthy competition to benefit consumers, companies and the economy as a whole. This is so that customers aren’t exploited by monopolies in the market – i.e. by paying higher prices and smaller businesses have a higher chance of survival. Multinational companies need to monitor the economic climate of countries they wish to expand to. During the recent economic downturn, the consumer electronics market has been one of the hardest hit, as incomes are cut the demand for luxury items has also fallen. ‘Operating losses of  £46.7million in six months’ -because of this ‘Best Buy’ has had to close down their stores resulting in a huge loss of jobs (The Guardian, 2011). Tesco may not get hit as hard when expanding because of their diversity of products but they do need to ensure that they are entering new markets with the potential to gain a domina nt market share so that they are not forced to shut down even when consumer demand is low. The minimum wage in the UK as it stands is  £6.08 an hour (www.direct.gov.uk, October 2011) however this will not be the same in every country and Tesco has faced exploitation allegations concerning this. In 2006, Tesco faced allegations over the treatment of workers in Bangladesh; War on Want alleged that wages were as low as 5p an hour and that workers were working 80+ hour weeks. However, Tesco stated that ‘Our suppliers comply with local labour laws and workers at all Bangladeshi suppliers to Tesco are paid above the national minimum wage’ (The Guardian, 2006). It may be unfair that the minimum wage is so low but it is not Tesco’s fault, however they are doing nothing in the way to  improve the situation so they will still face a lot of negative media. Consumers in every country have different demands, the food and drink supplied in the UK may be completely different to the needs and wants of people in China. Tesco need to appreciate that the food they retail in England may not appeal to other countries and so would have had to invest strongly in R+D to find out what they need to stock on their shelves. Merging with leading companies would have helped them to do this but much investment would have been needed in new raw materials and machinery to produce the different goods. ‘In the UK pies and sausages might take pride of place in Tesco’s meat refrigeration cabinets but in China, customers can browse through baskets of braised pig trotters, bundled together in fours by string’ (The Telegraph, 2011). To be successful in merging into foreign markets, Tesco has understood that they need to adapt their operations and that the way stores are run in the UK may not suit the way companies are run in different countries. Instead of sending UK staff overseas to manage stores, Tesco has employed domestic managers that will understand fully the needs and wants of their consumers. In the UK, Tesco now supplies international cuisine to apply to all areas of the market, for example there are whole aisles filled with different Indian spices and shelves stacked with Polish branded goods. Religion in different nations will affect what Tesco can sell in their stores, meat is easily sold in the UK but in some religions it is not part of people’s diet so Tesco will need to provide suitable substitutions. Expanding outside of the UK means that Tesco will be exposed to and highly influenced by other laws and legislation different to that of the UK government. The way in which vegetables and fruit are produced and grown in the UK may not comply with laws in other countries. In 2011, an investigation by Greenpeace discovered that vegetables sold in supermarkets contained levels of illegal pesticides or pesticides exceeding the maximum level that should be found in the food, making the produce illegal to sell in China. ‘Supermarket giants such as Tesco should be leading the way when it comes to shifting China’s agricultural industry to an eco-agricultural one, which includes reducing the country’s heavy use of chemicals in production. And instead they, along with Lotus and Lianhua, are seriously lax in keeping to China’s current standards’ (Greenpeace, 2011). Why would Globalisation be considered undesirable? Globalisation has been linked to a widening of inequalities in income and wealth. The benefits of globalisation are mainly going to the rich developed countries whilst the poor in the developing world are getting poorer. This is because multinational companies can exploit workers in LEDC’s as they do not have the power to fight back. Wealthy companies from any one country are only going to target expanding or rich companies in another; this reduces the chances of small businesses to become successful and forces many to shut down. As Tesco expands, it will need to increase its supply of raw materials and factories to manufacture in, this provides jobs in poorer countries because of the cheap labour pool, but because these multinational companies are so dominating they have the power to exploit workers and pay them extremely low wages. Workers in poorer countries may also lose their jobs due to the rapid technological change and the fact that machinery can remove inefficiencies from the work force. This also results in structural unemployment where many industries are weakening due to their long-term decline of use and the investment in capital-labour substitutions. The workers in these environments then find it difficult to find another job in a different industry as their skills are specific to their previous job. The biggest long term threat to arise from globalisation is the effect that it will have on the environment, rapid growth and development may lead to irreversible damage. Demand for timber, for example, has led to large scale deforestation in the developing world. Improvements in transportation is one of the main drivers of globalisation, as it is now much cheaper and far easier to transport goods around the world, however much more fuel is being used and many more emissions are being created. Pollution can have an effect not only on the environment but also on the health of people, as China continues to be the world’s fastest growing economy there are many health consequences to be aware of. A report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that ‘diseases triggered by indoor and outdoor air pollution kill 656,000 Chinese citizens each year, and polluted drinking water kills another 95,600.’ Conclusion From my research I have shown the factors why Tesco went global; these include the need to dominate international markets after becoming the biggest supermarket within the UK, the success of their strategies of merging with other companies with market knowledge and the rate of technological change that has allowed Tesco to grow so quickly. I have highlighted PESTL factors that Tesco may face such as the economic climates of different countries, sociocultural issues such as adapting to the needs and wants of consumers from a different market and the negative press that such a large company is bound to face. Even though globalisation is favoured by many, its effects can sometimes be undesirable, it is changing the world at such a phenomenal pace that there is always going to be some disadvantages and sadly it is always going to be the people with less money and power that will suffer. References – BBC News. (2007). http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6300993.stm – Cairncross, F., (1997). The Death of Distance – Corporate Watch. (2004). http://www.corporatewatch.org.uk/?lid=21&query=asda+wal-mart#history – Directgov. (2011). http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/TheNationalMinimumWage/DG_10027201 – Nadia G., (2011). Daily Mail. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2058494/Carphone-warehouse-closes-Best-Buy-stores-More-1-000-jobs-threat.html – OECD. (2001). http://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=1121 – Palmer M., (2005). A case study of Tesco. Retail Multinational Learning. 33 (33,1), 28. – Randeep R., (2006).The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/dec/08/clothes.ethicalliving – Tan M., (2011) http://www.greenpeace.org/eastasia/news/blog/banned-pesticides-detected-on-vegetables-in-t/blog/36666/ – The Telegraph. (2011). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/8152422/Five-things-Tesco-sells-in-China-but-not-in-the-UK.html?image=1 – www.tescoplc.com – WHO. http://www.who.int/en/

A Stranger Watching essays

A Stranger Watching essays A Stranger is Watching is a terrific book. I enjoyed reading this book very much. The non-stop action kept me reading for hours. One of the best features of the book is how it was written.The point of view changes every chapter.For example Chapter 1 is written in the point of view of the infamous Foxy character.Chapter 2 is written in the point if view of our protagonist, Steve; and so on.I also liked how the author built the relationship of the characters up,so you care about what happens to them and feel like you're going through what they are going through.For instance,the author tells us of Steve's wife's death.We find out that Steve's son, Neil was never the same after this tragedy.When a new women,Sharon comes into Steve's life,Neil rejects her.Neil thinks that if Sharon and his father get married ,his father will send him away.When Neil and Sharon are held hostage together, Neil's feelings for Sharon change;he begins to see her as a nice person and a motherlike figure.I felt the author built this relationship up well so that the story would have a happy ending.ly conflict with the antagonist.The protagonist,Steve is a successful man with a family and no problems;at least in the mind of the antagonist.The antagonist has problems with females,a career he feels is going nowhere,and a lack of good friends.throughout the story we find out that the antagonist is very jealous of the protagonist's life and that's why he indirectly targets him.This contrast was an addition to the already excitng plot of the story.. In my opinion the best part of "A Stranger is Watching"is the end,chapter 52.this chapter contains one of the greatest climaxes I ever read.The chapter begins at a frantic moment.All of the characters lives are at risk because Foxy's bomb is about to go off.After a fight with Foxy,Steve manages to release Sharon and Neil.At the same time Ronald Thompson(a juvenile convicted if murder)is about to be executed f...

Aristotelian Tragedy Macbeth

Many of Shakespeare’s plays follow Aristotelian ideas of tragedy, for instance Macbeth does a decent job in shadowing Aristotle’s model. Aristotle describes one of the most important elements of a tragedy to be a tragic hero. The tragic hero however must present certain qualities such as nobility and virtue. In the play Macbeth, Macbeth is a perfect example of a tragic hero. Macbeth begins the play coming home from battle, he is said to have fought with great courage and King Duncan himself awards him the title of the thane of Cawdor in reward for his bravery. The qualities make Macbeth a tragic hero as he possesses not only a noble title, but also the assets of a great warrior and hero. However, Aristotle emphasizes that if the tragic hero was as perfect as he seems than the audience would not be able to identify with him and this would not be considered a tragedy. Macbeth shows us his humanity very early in the play when he learns that Malcolm, Duncan’s son, will be the heir to the throne of Scotland. In response, Macbeth acknowledges that he himself should be awarded the crown and will not rest until royalty is his. Macbeth is an ambitious character, which is a quality that many humans can identify with. This ambitiousness is known as Macbeth’s tragic flaw. This leads to Aristotle’s next component of a tragedy, the tragic flaw. The hero’s tragic flaw must lead to the downfall of the character; his demise can be caused by no one other than himself. Macbeth’s ambitious personality leads him to become caught up in attaining power for himself. Macbeth’s ruthless behavior causes him to commit murder to Duncan in order to gain kingship. Even after his wish comes true, he continues to sacrifice the lives of others, including his close friend Banquo, to assure that he never loses his throne. However, Macbeth does not go unpunished as he suffers countless dreams and illusions that drive him to insanity. The loss of his wife also brings Macbeth to his final denouement. In the end, Macbeth is killed by Macduff; because of his arrogance he believed he was invincible even after being told his fate. Macbeth reaches his end through the same way he lived his life, through murder and deception. Many argue over the fairness of Macbeth’s life, but the goal of a tragedy in Aristotle’s view point is to strike fear and pity in the audience through harsh punishment upon the hero in extreme ways. Finally, Aristotle claims that in order for a tragedy to be effective, the fear and pity must be released from the audience through catharsis. First the tragic hero must gain some knowledge from his tragic life. Macbeth shows this self-realization in his ‘yellow leaf’ soliloquy when he expresses remorse for his actions. Also, in the end he knows he must fight until the end whether his fate is death. At this point the audience is cleansed of the emotions of the plot and the tragedy is finished. Macbeth is a primary example of a typical Aristotelian tragedy. It follows the structure necessary from the tragic hero, to his downfall and ultimately to the catharsis necessary for an original Greek drama. The aspects of this play are a perfect example of the tragedies of that era. Aristotelian Tragedy Macbeth Many of Shakespeare’s plays follow Aristotelian ideas of tragedy, for instance Macbeth does a decent job in shadowing Aristotle’s model. Aristotle describes one of the most important elements of a tragedy to be a tragic hero. The tragic hero however must present certain qualities such as nobility and virtue. In the play Macbeth, Macbeth is a perfect example of a tragic hero. Macbeth begins the play coming home from battle, he is said to have fought with great courage and King Duncan himself awards him the title of the thane of Cawdor in reward for his bravery. The qualities make Macbeth a tragic hero as he possesses not only a noble title, but also the assets of a great warrior and hero. However, Aristotle emphasizes that if the tragic hero was as perfect as he seems than the audience would not be able to identify with him and this would not be considered a tragedy. Macbeth shows us his humanity very early in the play when he learns that Malcolm, Duncan’s son, will be the heir to the throne of Scotland. In response, Macbeth acknowledges that he himself should be awarded the crown and will not rest until royalty is his. Macbeth is an ambitious character, which is a quality that many humans can identify with. This ambitiousness is known as Macbeth’s tragic flaw. This leads to Aristotle’s next component of a tragedy, the tragic flaw. The hero’s tragic flaw must lead to the downfall of the character; his demise can be caused by no one other than himself. Macbeth’s ambitious personality leads him to become caught up in attaining power for himself. Macbeth’s ruthless behavior causes him to commit murder to Duncan in order to gain kingship. Even after his wish comes true, he continues to sacrifice the lives of others, including his close friend Banquo, to assure that he never loses his throne. However, Macbeth does not go unpunished as he suffers countless dreams and illusions that drive him to insanity. The loss of his wife also brings Macbeth to his final denouement. In the end, Macbeth is killed by Macduff; because of his arrogance he believed he was invincible even after being told his fate. Macbeth reaches his end through the same way he lived his life, through murder and deception. Many argue over the fairness of Macbeth’s life, but the goal of a tragedy in Aristotle’s view point is to strike fear and pity in the audience through harsh punishment upon the hero in extreme ways. Finally, Aristotle claims that in order for a tragedy to be effective, the fear and pity must be released from the audience through catharsis. First the tragic hero must gain some knowledge from his tragic life. Macbeth shows this self-realization in his ‘yellow leaf’ soliloquy when he expresses remorse for his actions. Also, in the end he knows he must fight until the end whether his fate is death. At this point the audience is cleansed of the emotions of the plot and the tragedy is finished. Macbeth is a primary example of a typical Aristotelian tragedy. It follows the structure necessary from the tragic hero, to his downfall and ultimately to the catharsis necessary for an original Greek drama. The aspects of this play are a perfect example of the tragedies of that era.

Skin Cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Skin Cancer - Essay Example This decease occurs more often in people with light colored skin who are exposed to the sun for significant periods of time. The occurrences are most likely in the skin that has the most sun exposure (e.g. hands, head, neck, face, arms, or exposed legs), but it can also occur on nearly any skin surface, so periodic self examination is critical for early detection (National Cancer Institute, 2008). Skin cancer concerns are being addressed by many agencies and community initiatives. One excellent example is represented by the Comprehensive Cancer Program in Columbus, Ohio. Healthy People 2010 Cancer-Related Objectives are targeted to reduce the overall cancer death rate from melanoma cancer by 7%, to 2.5 deaths in 1000 population (Healthy Ohioans, 2008). The achievement of this objective is contingent upon education and increased doctor visits for appropriate screening, Epidemiological trends or the incidence rate and subsequent control of this disease has decreased in recent years but has remained on the upswing worldwide, and specifically in Western countries. This is most likely due to the fact that the incidence and the death rate of persons that have cutaneous melanoma, has increased significantly in most fair-skinned populations throughout the world (British Journal of Dermatology, 2004).

Symbolism, Poetic Realism and Poetic Tragedy in 'A Streetcar Named Essay

Symbolism, Poetic Realism and Poetic Tragedy in 'A Streetcar Named Desire' - Essay Example Rather than let go of her illusions, or lose herself, Blanche descends into insanity, telling the doctor at the end of the play, Blanche has a poetic quality in her speech, whereas Stanley is down-to-earth, crude and cruel, reflecting the brutality Williams has given him. When they talk together, they might really be trading punches or throwing stones at each other. In Scene 2, when he demands the papers regarding the loss of Belle Reve (Beautiful Dream, a major symbol) their exchange suggests a fight with more than mere words. Her language never loses refinement, grammatical correctness or poetic inference, while Stanley appears to have little education or regard for the proper use of English. He relies on fact, she, on fantasy. Blanche, white, for purity and truth, and light. She fears light, it will show her as she truly is and destroy the pure and beautiful facade she wants to create, especially for Mitch, yet she refers to the death of her young husband as, She considers that time and that light in her life to constitute the purity and innocence she pretends to still possess. Making Mitch cover the light bulb with the Chinese lantern symbolizes her fear of exposure, her aging, her past, and her loss of all illusions. Her constant singing of 'Paper Moon is almost a cry for acceptance - 'but it wouldn't be make believe if you believed in me'. How poignant those words become when Mitch confronts her with her lies and tries to rape her. Both the polka and 'flores para los muertes' come together in Scene 9 as a powerful symbolic message of Blanche's loss. Sex and death are threaded throughout the play, and Blanche sees desire as the opposite of death to explain her sexual encounters with the young men back in Laurel. She is signing the death warrant of her dreams, of a life with Mitch. The polka, or Varsoviana Waltz is introduced on the night her husband killed himself, again sex and death linked, and it appears each time she speaks of him. As Stanley goads her closer to madness, we hear it, and she hears it in her head, together with the voices, music and noises of life outside Blanche's illusory 3. world. The sounds are symbolic of her diminishing sanity, existing only in her head, or are they telling the audience what a harsh, wild place the real world can be Conversely, the 'blue piano' symbolizes life, sex, love and vitality for Stella and Stanley. It means life, the polka means death. Elysian Fields, from Greek mythology is a happy resting place for

A Hole in His Parachute Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

A Hole in His Parachute - Essay Example night still has an opportunity to claim his salary for the remaining two year because upon signing the agreement, he obtained a right of interest as a partner in the Knight-Ridder Corporation. It is this right that will therefore be used to claim for his salary in the next two years. In this case, his right is much protected by a business law which also consists of a number of laws such as commercial law, partnership law and Federal Corporation law (Mallor, 2012).These laws therefore guarantee him of the high chances of getting his money. According to Mallor (2012), an agreement is a legal and binding document that reveals the obligations of two or more parties involved in a business. Both Knight and Murdoch made an agreement where each was expected to have his own obligations. Knight was expected to offer advises to the Knight-ridder Corporation about the newspaper for five years. Murdoch on the other hand, was expected to pay Knight an annual salary of 2.5 million dollars for his services. However, breaching of agreement is the failure to accomplish duties and terms agreed upon by the two parties. Murdoch failed to fulfill his obligation through dissolution of Knight-Ridder Corporation before a period of five years therefore terminating Knight’s salary for two years. The legal and binding document established by the two partners gave them legal rights in the Corporation. Murdoch obtained the right of ownership as an employer, and as the largest shareholder of the Corporation while Knight acquired the right of interest as a partner. Since Murdoch failed to perform his duty as revealed in the legal and binding document, he is viewed as violating Knight’s right as a partner. Knight can therefore take steps to reclaim the money owed to him by suing Murdoch through a court of law. In the court, a judge would solve the case through the guidance obtained from a business law which oversees the various types of business transactions such as mergers and acquisitions,

The Carnival Cruise Lines

The Carnival Cruise Lines Carnival Cruise Lines is a global cruise company and one of the largest vacation companies in the world. CCL generates all of its revenues from the cruise industry. The companys wide-ranging product offerings provide guests with exceptional vacation experiences at an outstanding value. The success in providing quality cruise vacations has made CCL the most profitable company in the leisure travel industry. Carnival Cruise Lines stock is dually listed on both the New York Stock Exchange and on the London Stock Exchange under symbol CCL. It is the only company in the world to be included in both the SP 500 index in the United States and the FTSE 100 index in the United Kingdom (Carnival Corporation PLC, 2012). Carnival Cruise Lines operates a fleet of 100 ships, with another seven ships scheduled for delivery between now and March 2016. With approximately 200,000 guests and 77,000 shipboard employees, there are more than 277,000 people sailing aboard CCLs fleet at any given time (Carnival Corporation PLC, 2012). For the purpose of our report it is crucial to understand how the Carnival Cruise Lines Corporation works today. We need to understand how the various aspects of the business are set up and how they work together. Only after a true understanding of the current situation, we can come with proposals for improvement and indicate the impact on current ways of working. In literature one can fine many models that can be used to look at an organization with an internal perspective. In appendix X we provide an overview of some management models we have found in literature, with an explanation why, when and how it should be used. Since our report needs to cover the implementation of a new IT management strategy, we have decided to use McKinseys 7S model as shown in figure X. This model, developed in the 1980s, involves 7 factors, which can be categorized as hard and soft elements. Hard elements can be identified and influenced more easily. They would be driven by the organization charts and reporting lines within the business and they may include the systems you use to get work done. Soft elements are, by their very nature, more difficult to manage and may be affected by the culture of the organization. But you have to apply yourself to these as much as the hard elements, as they provide the support structure for the successful implementation of any ch ange, and they are all interdependent on each other. Figure 7S framework (McKinsey) The hard elements in the 7S-model are Strategy, Structure and Systems; the soft elements are Style, Shared Values, Skills and Staff. In order to understand the 7S-model better a brief explanation is given below. Hard elements of the 7S-model: Strategy by using mission and vision the organizations objectives become clear. Structure how is the organization structured and which hierarchical layers are there Systems all formal and informal methods of operation, procedures and communication flows Soft elements of the 7S-model: Style this is about leadership and management styles Shared values the standards and values and other forms of ethics within an organization in which vision, corporate culture and identity are the key elements Skills these concern both the skills of the organization and those of the employees Staff this is about the employees, their competences and job descriptions In addition to the above elements we added two paragraphs specifically on Information Management and Risk Management to give a complete overview of the situation of Carnival Cruise Lines today. 2.1 Strategy of CCL The mission of Carnival Cruise Lines is to take the world on vacation and deliver exceptional experiences through many of the worlds best-known cruise brands that cater to a variety of different geographic regions and lifestyles, all at an outstanding value unrivaled on land or at sea (Carnival Corporation PLC, 2012). The vision statement of CCL is the following: to consistently deliver fun, memorable vacations at a repeat value (Carnival Corporation PLC, 2012). Derived from this mission and vision, Carnival Cruise Lines has set up the following strategic objectives: to be the leading cruise operator in all segments entered and to maintain the most up-to-date fleet of cruise ships in the world to develop new cruise segments and innovative cruise packages to reach a larger number of potential and past cruisers employ sophisticated promotional efforts to achieve a greater awareness by the public concerning the availability and afford ability of cruise travel attract the first-time and younger cruisers (Carnival), experienced cruisers (Holland America), upscale cruisers(Seaborne), and cruisers wanting a sailing vacation (Windstar) promote cruises as an alternative to land-based vacations provide a variety of activities as well as ports of call be innovative in all respects of operations of the ship. All initiatives that are taken by Carnival Cruise Lines need to be in line with the mission, vision and strategic objectives (Carnival Corporation PLC, 2012). With regard to the strategy of Carnival Cruise Lines the following strengths can be identified: Strengths Weaknesses Dominant market share Strong acquisition strategy Comprehensive portfolio (target groups) Strength Dominant market share The biggest strength of Carnival Cruise Lines is its huge scale and scope. The company is twice as large as its biggest competitor and competes in nearly every market and segment worldwide (Appendix X). This gives CCL enormous power over the cruise industry as a whole. It enables the company to undertake projects that grow the industry, gives it a platform for continued mergers and acquisitions activity, and helps CCL negotiate with major manufacturers of cruise ships (Levin, Jones, Slade, 2011). In all initiatives and projects that are undertaken by the company, the incentive is always to keep that dominant market share and even to grow it further. CCL wants to be a leader, and this will be reflected in management decisions. Strength Strong acquisition strategy Carnival Cruise Lines has the ability to obtain companies through acquisitions. By using an acquisition strategy, the Corporation has been able to position itself in each geographical market in the world and rank itself as number one in the cruising sector. However, this strength also results in a highly decentralized IT landscape, as described in paragraph 2.8. Strength Comprehensive portfolio (target groups) The corporation has a large fleet capacity and operates ten of the most recognizable cruise brand names. CCLs portfolio of brand names appeals to almost every niche market, from budget minded, contemporary to luxury cruises (Marketingteacher, 2012). Each cruise line operates globally and is targeted at one or more nationalities (Appendix X). This is linked to the fact that CCL wants to be the leader in the cruising industry and wants to keep the dominant market share. 2.2 Structure of CCL Carnival Cruise Lines Corporation plc has two main headquarters, Carnival Place in the US and Carnival House in the UK. The constituent Corporation and plc are separate listed companies with different shareholder bodies, but they jointly own all the operating companies in the group. Both headquarters have their own management team, strategy, and IT organization. Within Carnival Cruise Lines every brand is seen as a separate business unit, with its own profit and loss statement. With regard to the structure of Carnival Cruise Lines the following strengths and weaknesses can be identified: Strengths Weaknesses Strong financial position Clear focus on cost leadership Strong marketing Decentralization of business operations Decreasing profit Over-dependence on US market Strength Strong financial position Carnival Cruise Lines is one of the most profitable cruising companies. The companys average net income (FY2005 to FY2009) amounted to 18.1% compared to the industry standard of 6.3% (Marketingteacher, 2012). The firm is dual listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange under the symbol CCL. Since the company is dual listed, it has the ability to raise more funds from investor than its competitors. With this also comes greater stability due to different markets being affected by different economic occurrences, political issues, and societys views (Levin, Jones, Slade, 2011). Due to the strong financial position, CCL has a certain luxury to take strategic important and cutting edge decisions and, at the same time, invest the necessary funds to make it possible. Strength Clear focus on cost leadership Carnival Cruise Lines has a clear focus on Cost Leadership, i.e. CCL offers its product to the mass market. Therefore the highest focus is put on the price and keeping the price as low as possible. Once the customer is on board the ship, additional revenue is created by having the customer pay for everything that was not covered in the base price. CCL is such a large company that it has significant cost advantages over most of its competitors. Unlike Royal Caribbean where the focus is on delivering the best customer experience (Appendix X, interview Vicki Freed), the focus at CCL is more on providing the best cruise for the lowest amount. Additional revenues are generated once a customer is onboard. Strength Strong marketing Carnival Cruise Lines invests explicitly and effectively in print and television media. Their promotions target the lifestyles of each group of customers (Marketingteacher, 2012). This strategy enables CCL to get name recognition in every market segment, hence the different cruise lines under the brand. Weakness Decentralization of business operations Historically, CCL has been run by the Arison family as a coalition of largely independent businesses. Each cruise line largely manages its own customers, marketing, distribution, sales, ports, and logistics. This approach has had benefits: internal competition means that each line operates better than any would in isolation. The yearly capital planning process happens on both the US side as on the UK side, which might lead to duplication of effort. The business operations of the cruise lines are not centrally managed. Better coordination of these business operations could generate additional benefits for Carnival Cruise Lines (Levin, Jones, Slade, 2011). Figure Organization chart Carnival Cruise Lines Figure X gives the high-level organization chart of CCL. On the left hand side all the 10 brands with their presidents are listed, with a direct line to Mickey Arison. As stated above, although there is a direct reporting line to Mickey Arison, every brand is managed as a business unit with its own profit and loss. On right hand side all the supporting functions, such as HR, legal, IT,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ are listed with their CxO or head of department. These departments have a direct reporting line to Mickey Arison as well, but in every business unit there is an own representation of each supporting function with a reporting line to the president of the brand. The communication between the business unit representation and the CxO of the supporting function is not always seamless, which can lead to duplication of effort. Weakness Decreasing profit The profit of CCL has diminished over the last years. The net profit was $1,790 million in FY2009, a decrease of 23.2% as compared to 2008. The profit recovered some in 2010 and 2011 but never reached the level of 2008 (see appendix X) Another weakness is that Carnival Cruise lines reports their financial statements in dollars. About half of their revenue is generated in a non-US currency, but is reported in terms of US dollars. The value of the dollar against Euro appreciated from 1.60 in January 2010 to 1.53 by April 2010 against the Pound. If the dollar strengthens it would record a lower revenue than is actually earned (Marketingteacher, 2012). The pressure on profit will keep on adding pressure on taking the right management decisions and investing in the right opportunities. Weakness Over-dependence on US market Carnival Cruise Lines derives a majority of its revenue (nearly 52%) from US customers. In 2009 the revenue from the North American market registered a double digit decline. The over-dependence on the US market makes CCL vulnerable to the economic fluctuations of the American economy and this company is dependent on customers disposable income (Marketingteacher, 2012). All cruise companies, CCL as well, are moving their focus from the US market to Europe and Asia. Especially in Asia there is a huge growth potential. 2.3 Systems within CCL This paragraph gives a high level overview of systems as mentioned in the 7S model: all formal and informal methods of operation, procedures and communication flows. In paragraph 2.8 we focus on Information Technology systems and the current IT landscape. With regard to the systems of Carnival Cruise Lines the following strengths and weaknesses can be identified: Strengths Weaknesses IT incorporated in company results No prioritization process in place No benefits tracking No integrated CRM process Strength IT incorporated in company results In some companies IT is considered as free of charge, since IT is not incorporated in the company results. This leads to a distorted view of company/business unit results. However, Carnival Cruise Lines incorporates the costs of IT in the company/business unit results, which allows both the company/business unit itself to get a more realistic view of the results, but also the market gets a more trustworthy view of the results. This leads to a more positive ranking in the market. Weakness No prioritization process in place Since every business unit is set up as an own profit and loss center, every business unit deems their own project to be the most important. Currently, there is no prioritization process in place on the business side, which leads to a continuous flow of projects that need IT resources. Weakness No benefits tracking Many projects get kicked off and promise benefits. However there is no process in place to measure these benefits after the project has been delivered. This allows the business to keep on creating additional projects to deliver the same thing, again allowing business increase costs instead of reducing costs. Weakness No integrated CRM process Carnival Cruise Lines does not have an integrated CRM process in place for the whole corporation. This leads to the fact that customers from the one cruise line arent recognized as a repeat customer with a different cruise line within the group, this has an immediate effect on the pricing for repeat customers. Also, due to the lack of this process, the organization cannot target specific customers groups, based on their previous behavior on the cruise, since that information is only fragmented available. 2.4 Style within CCL The leadership style at Carnival Cruise Lines can be called family-like. This family-like leadership style is a management style that Ted Arison already used when he was still steering the company. Ted Arison had a non-hierarchical approach to management, meaning that he delegated a lot of work downwards in the organization, allowing him to oversee the bigger picture (Managementparadise, 2012). With regard to the style of Carnival Cruise Lines the following strength can be identified: Strengths Weaknesses Leadership style empowering people Strength Leadership style empowering people People with the right skills are hired and are giving the support and room to do their jobs correctly. People are encouraged to be hands-on and take calculated risks. Taking risks also means that mistakes can occur, however CCL uses a no blame culture through which people feel empowered (Managementparadise, 2012). 2.5 Shared values of CCL Derived from the mission and vision of Carnival Cruise Lines (see 2.1) the company has set some company values that were a high priority. With regard to the shared values of CCL the following strengths can be identified: Strengths Weaknesses Strong company values Focus on the environment Strength Strong company values The company values are: honesty, integrity, fairness, hospitality and teamwork. The values are deemed important to do their job in a correct manner. Strength Focus on the environment Carnival Cruise Lines, as all other cruise lines in the industry, takes much pride in the focus they put on the environment. They invest heavily in health and safety, both for customers and for employees. There is a very strong focus on the environment and to work in a greener way. Charity is also one of the key components of their social responsibility strategy. 2.6 Skills at CCL Working in the leisure industry requires some specific skills that you cannot always learn. Most important skills that someone working in the leisure industry would need, are the following: customer focused, empathy, team work, stress resistant, multi-cultural, service orientation and multi linguistic. With regard to the skills of Carnival Cruise Lines the following strengths can be identified: Strengths Weaknesses Strong attention for skills attitude Loyalty programs in place Strength Strong attention for skills attitude Since Carnival Cruise Lines wants to be seen as the cruise line that delivers fun, the attitude of the employees is very important as well. The employees need to be cheerful and enthusiastic. CCL puts great effort in stimulating the desired skills and attitude of the employees. Strength Loyalty programs in place CCL has its loyalty programs in place. The company introduced a new loyalty program in 2012 providing past guests with a variety of value-added benefits and features, including priority embarkation and debarkation, guaranteed supper club reservations and dining times, personalized stationery and custom-designed CCL logo items (Carnival, 2012). Contrary to what is stated in the business case, Carnival Cruise Lines has now its loyalty programs in place. 2.7 Staff at CCL Cruise ships typically operate with three classes of crew. The first is the officers: these professionals are highly paid and given ultimate command of the ship. The second is entertainers and wait staff: typically lower-paid, but from the same countries as the cruisers that they serve. Finally, most of the ships crew is drawn from developing countries. While pay is low, the salary can represent an attractive opportunity for these workers, who often work 10-month contracts without being able to see their homes and families. Turnover is high, and few of the crew sees working on a cruise ship as a viable long-term career. Staff remains 24/7 on board of the ship, have their own cabins at the lowest two decks of the ship. Only officers are allowed to mix between guests, this at special occasions and in formal attire. Other crew members have dedicated times during which they can be present on guest decks. With regard to the staff of Carnival Cruise Lines the following strengths can be identified: Strengths Weaknesses Operational excellence experience Talent development programs in place Strength Operational excellence experience Carnival Cruise Lines has achieved below-industry-average costs and above-average revenue historically. This is largely due to the companys immense experience in owning and operating cruises, as well as some smart strategic plays. That advantage makes expanding into new markets vastly easier for CCL than for a smaller player or upstart firm. CCL has the largest pool of data to draw on to determine what does and does not work and has the most experienced marketers of cruises in the world. These soft advantages let CCL potentially segment its customers more efficiently than competitors (Levin, Jones, Slade, 2011). Strength Talent development programs in place CCL has a separate training and development department set up in the organization. The corporation invests heavily in coaching of high potentials by giving them learning opportunities that are fit for their personal needs. 2.8 Information Management The current IT landscape of CCL is much diversified. First of all, the IT landscape is split in the shore side systems and the shipboard systems. This split between on shore and shipboard adds a dimension to the complexity of the landscape, since most of the shipboard systems need to be able to communicate to the shore side systems. An additional challenge in the current IT landscape is the use of legacy systems. Since there are basically only three main competitors in the cruise industry, there is not really a vendor that specializes in cruise industry systems, hence all the cruise companies use their own developed systems. Years ago, this was not really a problem, but nowadays with the globalization of industries, limitations of these legacy systems refrain CCL to be as agile as they would like to be. Figure X gives a high level overview of the current IT landscape within Carnival Cruise Lines at the time of the case description One can assume that due to acquisitions between 2006 and 2012 this landscape has grown in complexity even more. Another type of systems now in the current landscape which were not described in the case are the risk management and internal control systems. For this CCL uses IBM OpenPages Financial Controls Management and IBM OpenPages Operational Risk Management (IBM Corporation, 2011). Figure Information systems within CCL With regard to Information Management the following strength and weaknesses can be identified: Strengths Weaknesses Excellent booking system for travel agents Decentralized systems Legacy systems No overview of project portfolio Weak resource management TCO for IT not in place Outsourcing level 2 3 support difficult Strength Excellent booking system for travel agents From a travel agents perspective CCL is easy to do business with: travel agents will say that Carnival is much easier to work with than Royal (Appendix X, interview Vicky Freed). Carnival Cruise Lines has upgraded the booking engine within its travel agent web portal, to help agents save time when booking reservations online. A streamlined and simplified process for managing bookings, as well as an interactive toolbar that provides easier navigation between different components of the booking engine, make it easier for agents to book cruises for their clients. In addition to an entirely new design and navigation, the upgraded booking engine offers convenient links to several applications (Travel Agent Central, 2012). The updated booking engine is designed to reflect the changing business models of travel agents and represents the latest enhancement to this comprehensive portal which serves as a one-stop-shop for travel agents to fulfill all of their sales and marketing needs (Lynn Torrent, senior vice president of sales and guest services CCL). Weakness Decentralized systems The decentralization within Carnival Cruise Lines translates into a decentralization of systems as well. Decisions arent always communicated from one cruise line to the other, which leads to duplication of effort. This decentralization of the business organization translates to the IT organization as well. Every brand has its own IT department with own systems and infrastructure. Weakness Legacy systems There are many legacy systems. Since there arent many players in the cruising sector, most of the strategic important applications are custom made. This leads to a spaghetti landscape in which integration is very difficult and which affects the time to market significantly. Weakness No overview of project portfolio Projects can start within a business unit or on a corporate level within CCL. Since the business is set up in separate business units, with their own IT departments, there is a lot of duplication of effort. There in not one global IT Program Management Office that oversees all the current projects and their requirements for IT. This has both an impact on the IT resource management as on the IT landscape that runs the risk to get even more diversified. Weakness Weak resource management Due to the lack of a prioritization process for projects, the first-in-first-out principle is often used, this means that resources get allocated either to the project that came in the pipeline first or either to the project that has a business owner or project manager who is very persuasive. Without the prioritization process in place, it is very difficult for the IT management to decide where to allocate resources to. The lack of prioritization leads to frustration on the business side, because there is the perception that IT is not able to deliver in time. Weakness TCO for IT not in place To really understand the total cost of IT for the business all costs of IT should be made transparent and understandable for any business owner. Currently CCL has no total cost of ownership for IT in place. Reasons for not having TCO for IT in place are miscellaneous; it is very difficult to really get cost like network transparent, an IT service catalogue needs to be in place, IT management needs to be committed,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ However implementing TCO for IT will help the IT management get the multitude of costs as a result of duplication of effort visible to the business. Weakness Outsourcing level 2 3 support difficult As already stated above, most of the applications of CCL are custom made. This in-house development induces resources with a very specific knowledge. Often, this knowledge is both on the system side as on the business process side and therefore confidential. Outsourcing level 2 and 3 support is very difficult, due to these specific knowledge. 2.9 Risk Management Enterprise Risk Management is a process, effected by an entitys board of directors, management and other personnel, applied in strategy setting and across the enterprise, designed to identify potential events that may affect the entity, and manage risk to be within its risk appetite, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the achievement of entity objectives (COSO, 2004). Organizations which manage risk effectively and efficiently are more likely to achieve their goals and to achieve this at a lower overall cost. Risk management is therefore good management. Risk management should be a multi-faceted discipline: often referred to as enterprise, integrated, holistic or practical risk management (The Institute of Risk Management, 2012). The objective of a risk management framework is to help ensure that appropriate technical and administrative controls are identified and implemented to protect information resources and help ensure continuity of business operations (Hillson, 2006). With regard to Risk Management the following strengths and weaknesses can be identified for CCL: Strengths Weaknesses Enterprise Risk Management in place Good frameworks Strong focus on security privacy regulations Poor safety record Strength Enterprise Risk Management in place Carnival Cruise Lines has introduced the Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) program. This program is designed to identify, assess, manage and report the most significant business and strategic risks faced by the company to senior management and the Board of Directors. The ERM program is overseen by a team within the Corporate Risk Advisory Assurance Services Department, based in the Miami headquarters. CCL also maintains onsite teams at each of its brands, in order to stay aligned with the corporations generally decentralized management structure and to develop on-site audit expertise at each of the major brands. (IBM Corporation, 2011). Within CCLs business units risk management and internal control is an ongoing process. It is designed to identify, evaluate and manage the significant risks faced by the units and is embedded in each of the operations. A system of internal controls has been established to be capable of responding quickly to evolving risks in the business. It includes procedures for the direct reporting of material internal control deficiencies together with the appropriate corrective action. The corporate executive management team receives periodic information regarding internal control issues arising at the business units. The primary focus of this aspect of the system is the corporate Management Advisory Services (MAS) Department. MAS is responsible for monitoring the process, ensuring that issues common to more than one business unit are identified and that all relevant matters are brought to the attention of the boards as a whole. The MAS Department is supported by the Corporate Finance and Corpo rate Legal Departments, as well as the CEO, COO and the CFO (CCL, 2010). Strength Good frameworks CCL has adopted the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) guidance for implementing its internal control framework as part of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act Section 404 compliance plan (CCL, 2010). The COSO framework for ERM provides key principles and concepts, a common language, and clear direction and guidance for organizations to evaluate and improve their enterprise risk management (COSO, 2004). Carnival Cruise Lines has a structured approach to monitoring and managing operational, financial and compliance risk across the corporations spectrum of cruise brands. The system allows a high degree of comparability across the brand portfolio while recognizing the differences that make each individual operating company unique (IBM Corporation, 2011). The key to CCLs approach to auditing risk is the conceptualization of each of its brands as a set of business processes. Despite the differences in organizational structures, IT infrastructures and market segments, Carnival Cruise Lines operating companies all operate primarily in the cruise industry, which enables the organization to establish a common analytical framework. CCL has identified over 300 individual processes that are organized into 13 sections as shown in figure X (CCL, 2010). 1. Understand ma