Genocide The Flaw of Civilization Essay - 639 Words

Until the twentieth-century, the world was unfamiliar with the newly-named phenomenon known as genocide. The first instance of the mass killing of an ethnic group that proliferated throughout world news was the Holocaust. Under the Nazi Regime, the German government indiscriminately massacred millions of Jewish men, women and children. However, the Holocaust was by no means the first occurrence of a genocide. Historical evidence reveals a pattern of massacre on the basis of ethnicity that is markedly apparent in civilizations dating back to the time of the Roman Empire. While the Holocaust gave birth to the idea of genocide, civilizations throughout history have instituted the cruel methods of mass extermination since the introduction of†¦show more content†¦As the world progressed toward the modern age, new factors arose in the movements toward national unity. The Age of Nationalism, where people of different regions of the world felt a new sense of national identity, had r oots in the liberal ideas of the French Revolution. As people of similar cultures and national origins united with one another, the idea of self-determination, or one’s ability to choose their own path in life, proliferated across the world. These ideas led to an age of national unification, namely in Germany and Italy, but also in already-established country that sought to strengthen their stature in world affairs and achieve their goal of self-determination. The transition into the twentieth century witnessed nationalism being taken to a new level. A new concept arose that is widely regarded as â€Å"hyper-nationalism† among historical academics. This new philosophy is known as fascism. As countries like Italy and Germany unified in the late-nineteenth century, people who resided in such places thought of themselves as superior to those around them. 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Lithium And Its Effects On Bipolar Disorder - 1394 Words

1. Provide a rationale for the use of Lithium Carbonate that Ellen is currently prescribed. Lithium Carbonate is the most commonly drug that is prescribed for treating bipolar disorder (May, Hickey, Triantis, Palazidou, Kyriacou, 2015). It works as a mood stabilizer that significantly reduces excessive behaviors and suicidal tendencies. However, the way that lithium exerts its impact on mood is still unknown. One study suggests that key of lithium therapeutic actions are the neuroprotective effects (Malhi, Tanious, Das, Coulston, Berk 2013). For instance, lithium has been demonstrated to decrease the oxidative stress that involves in multiple episodes of mania and depression. Other study recommends that lithium stabilize electrical†¦show more content†¦Additionally, lithium users are not higher rates of chronic kidney illness related to bipolar disorder (Rej et al., 2015). 2. Identify three (3) potential major side effects for Ellen’s currently prescribed Lithium Carbonate. Provide two (2) nursing management interventions for each of the three (3) chosen major side effects. Although the effectiveness of lithium in management of bipolar disorder is well established, health professionals should be aware of the potential major side effects related to long-term lithium treatment. Hand tremor is one of common adverse reactions that might occur during the first few days of lithium treatment. This side effect should decrease briefly after beginning of lithium administration. However, if it persists, the dosage of lithium needs to be reduce or cessation of the administration. Fine tremor of the hands is less likely if lithium is administered slowly, smaller doses several times a day rather than quickly. Additionally, the healthcare provider should discuss with the patients about possible adverse reactions when taking lithium therapy. Also, the patients should be warned not to discontinue taking the drug or modify the dosage on their own. In addition, lithium treatment may lead to weight gain. A recent study has showed that patients receiving Lithium are more frequent weight gain compared to those receiving placebo (Murru et al., 2015). This association

Walmart Going Green Free Essays

string(43) " many suppliers fight over their business\." Professor Lee September 29, 2008 Case Study 1 – Wal-Mart Stores Dan Lessard Landon Heidenreich Tommy Petramalo Kristian Arnesen TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents pg. 1 Executive Summary pg. 2 Ch. We will write a custom essay sample on Walmart Going Green or any similar topic only for you Order Now 1 pg. 3 1. 1 Mission pg. 3 1. 2 History pg. 3 1. 3 Background pg. 4 Ch. 2 pg. 4 2. 1 Internal VRIO Analysis pg. 4 VRIO Table pg. 10 2. 2 External Five Forces Analysis pg. 10 2. 3 Problem Statement pg. 15 Positioning Grid pg. 16 Ch. 3 pg. 16 3. 1 Option 1 pg. 16 3. 2 Option 2 Pg. 16 Ch. 4 Strategic Option Evaluation Pg. 16 4. Strategic Evaluation of Unionizing Pg. 16 4. 2 Strategic Evaluation For Reorganization Pg. 18 4. 3 Recommendation and Plan of Action Pg. 19 4. 4 Competitive Advantage Pg 19 4. 5 Implications Pg. 20 Endnotes Pg. 21 Executive Summary Historically the discount shopping experience began in the mid 20th century, and in 1962 Wal-Mart helped pave the way along with other competitors such as Target and K Mart. Since then Wal-Mart has grown into one of the top retailers in the United States, and are currently in the process of trying to establish themselves into international markets.A key to Wal-Mart’s success is their competitive advantage of low prices – lower than any of their competitors in the discount retail industry. Being a top business does not exempt one from problems. Over the years Wal-Mart has been one of the most scrutinized businesses in America. Wal-Mart has had to deal with employee disputes over health benefits, wages, hours, and labor. They have faced opposition from the communities, banks, elected leaders, and unions in many of the small towns they have expanded to.Many argue that Wal-Mart stores can have a negative effect on the community, because Wal-Mart has driven out other local competition by driving the prices down. Another issue with Wal-Mart Stores is the perceived quality of their products which is considered marginal. In recent news there are several accounts of product recalls, and there are numerous consumer reviews of poor products purchased at Wal-Mart Stores. Wal-Mart’s goal is to treat their customers like family while providing them with quality goods at lower prices, and, the issue of quality being sub-par is a major issue.This quality problem, coupled with being closely scrutinized by all of America, has lead to the deflating of Wal-Mart’s image. The challenge facing Wal-Mart, especially in this trying time of economic hardship, is to boost its perceived value to the customer by improving the quality of their goods while keeping themselves differentiated from their competitors. Keeping costs of running their business low will in turn allow them to continue to offer low prices to their customers. There are several options that a major company is faced with that will take their company in different directions.There are two drastically different options to follow that Wal-Mart should analyze and take action with. One option is more organization with the individual stores while the other has to do with completely changing the structure of the company. In becoming and also staying a major coming in an industry money and time must be spent to stay at the top. By unionizing a company such as Wal-Mart, the costs would be very great in initial start up while they may knock down future legal costs. By reorganizing the stores and creating a new atmosphere, there is less start up costs but there is no room for structure change. There are tradeoffs that all companies are faced with and any option that is analyzed is important to the life of the company. Ch. 1 Introduction 1. 1Mission Wal-Mart’s mission statement is simple, â€Å"Saving people money so they can live better. †[i] This statement has lead to Wal-Mart leading the way within the discount super-store industry for the past thirty years. 1. 2History[ii] A brief history of Wal-Mart begins with Sam Walton, the founder of the chain. Mr.Walton did much research on consumers to prepare the way for his dominating chain, and in the process he found that what consumers want most are quality products at affordable prices. Mr. Walton opened his first Wal-Mart in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas. Within five years the chain grew to 24 stores and already they had sales in the billions of dollars. During the 1960s the discount store market experienced exceptional growth; however, Wal-Mart did not have enough money to expand to more expensive areas. Instead they continued to expand in areas of relatively lower populations and continued to thrive.In 1972 Wal-Mart had its initial public offering and experienced monumental growth, jumping to 262 stores in eleven different states. Through the 1980s and 1990s Wal-Mart’s success continued to flourish, and they were ranked in Forbes magazine as a top retailer throughout these times. The 1990s also saw Wal-Mart’s introduction into the international market, which they are still in the process of trying to integrate. Continuing into the 21st century Wal-Mart holds within the top-ranked retailers. 1. 3Background The first Wal-Mart started up in Roger Arkansas in 1962. Wal-Mart bases their culture in the way they treat each other, â€Å"it’s our special way of doing business. [iii]† Sam Walton is the founder of Wal-Mart and is the person that gave the company the sense of honor and values which Wal-Mart holds at a very high standard. Today there are over 7,390 Wal-Marts and Sam’s Clubs stores. Wal-Mart is known as a store where you can go shop and save a buck. They are friendly to the average consumer of moderate income, and in this market they have thrived. They are a highly competitive company in an industry and economic time where lower prices are exactly what consumers are looking for.Wal-Mart has found that the reason they are so competitive is through their cheaper prices as compared to most of their competitors. This can create an effect so that many suppliers fight over their business. You read "Walmart Going Green" in category "Papers" This in return gives Wal-Mart great bargaining power over whom they buy products from, and they can basically manipulate the original system/relationship of suppliers and retailers. They can almost in a sense control what price suppliers offer. Wal-Mart has great deals, and those deals can bring almost anyone into their store.Wal-Mart has a vast array of customers, most of which at some point or another probably were loyal customers of another company who opposed the idea of Wal-Mart entering in their community. At some point or another most of these same people have gone into Wal-Mart to see what all the hype is about – and they found it in the low prices. Ch. 2 Internal and External Analysis 2. 1Internal Analysis – VRIO Within this section is discussed Wal-Mart’s internal analysis of the value brought to and perceived by the consumers through the value and rarity of their products, imitabiliy of their practices, and organization.By evaluating these four categories within their company it is easier to appraise which areas are strong and which are weak and, subsequently, need revision. To begin the main resources and capabilities of Wal-Mart Store’s Inc. must be identified. As with many companies a major resource of Wal-Mart’s is their human capital; another is their image – concerning their layout of their stores, product quality, and satisfaction of their employees; Wal-Mart’s products and brands are a valuable resource; and Wal-Mart’s geographic locations are an important resource. [iv] 2. 1. 1ValueAccording to Barney and Hesterly the question of Value is, â€Å"Do resources and capabilities enable a firm to exploit an external opportunity or neutralize an external threat? †[v] In order to account for this within the resources and capabilities listed above it is important to compare it to the environment of the industry as a whole. With regard to the super-store or any market industry, employees are an important factor. It is true that at a store you buy goods, however, service is a major factor because the mood of the employees directly affects the mood of the consumers. vi] It can influence everything from what they buy to whether or not they return to the store or even the company. It is important that employees be helpful, courteous, energetic, knowledgeable, and happy. Wal-Mart has a history of bad relationships between the organization and its employees. A main complaint that Wal-Mart has had to back up on numerous occasions is that the wages are not on par with the general market wages. [vii] This basic problem can create a disconnection between lower-level employees and management, and disgruntled workers, as stated above, are not good for any business.These ailments do not lead to a competitive advantage for Wal-Mart in human capital. The image associated with Wal-Mart can be directly related to the quality of their products, store layout, and employee satisfaction. Employee satisfaction has already been established above as less than optimal. Quality has been a great issue with Wal-Mart in the past and currently, which conflicts with their mission of â€Å"quality products†. Recent product recalls seen in newspapers involve an infant crib that has design flaws that are potentially dangerous and possibly life-threatening. viii] This is just the most recent accusation of poor product quality from the Wal-Mart stores. There are many blogs and online forums where customers may go and rant about issues they have with Wal-Mart products. Because of this the brands and brand names that Wal-Mart sells are also hurt when the quality is compromised. Continuing questions about the quality of Wal-Mart’s products leads them into a struggle for a competitive advantage within the image category. Geographical placement within the super-store industry is important because of the customer base.In order to sell a product there has to be someone willing to buy it and currently Wal-Mart struggles to enter into urban markets. Wal-Mart has generally been met with opposition from unions, elected leaders, and banks upon trying to enter the more urban markets[ix]. This restricts Wal-Mart to smaller, more rural areas where, in fact it has worked to their advantage. Their creed of lower prices relates well to the locals communities around their establishments. This has worked to their advantage in the past. For the future, however, it may not be enough as their entrance into international markets may be stifled. x] 2. 1. 2Rarity The competition in Wal-Mart’s industry is intense. Main competitors of Wal-Mart’s are stores like Target, Sears, Home Depot and K-Mart, all of which sell commercial items at marked down prices. [xi] The competitive advantage for Wal-Mart has been the difference between its competitor’s prices and their own. The rarity of Wal-Mart’s resources and products are not a source of competitive advantage within their industry, however, the differentiation in the prices offered by Wal-Mart are currently a source of competitive advantage. Employees at Wal-Mart range from all ages and ethnicities.Wal-Mart is an equal opportunity employer and they employ anyone from ages 15 and up. [xii] It is not an education-based job, meaning it is not necessary for a lower-level employee to have a college degree or even a high school diploma to work there. This can have an adverse effect on what employees bring to the table because, typically, if one goes on to higher education they are more likely to seek specific types of jobs, not wor king as a department store employee, and are, therefore not available to bring their intellectual capital to Wal-Mart’s table. xiii] On the lower level employee plane, the Wal-Mart employees are not a source of competitive advantage. In the case of rarity of their image Wal-Mart is one for the people. The Wal-Mart mission plainly states, â€Å"Saving people money so they can live better. [xiv]† Sam Walton’s goal was that of improving the lives of the average person by offering them a chance at everyday products with lower prices. This image of â€Å"for the people† is unique to the industry in that it is written down for Wal-Mart, and in that sense is a competitive advantage.Geographical location has worked for Wal-Mart in the past, as stated above, and this is generally due to the scarcity of larger, hyper-stores within the rural markets in which they are situated. By offering many products in one place, and at considerably lower prices than competitors, it has allowed Wal-Mart to be very successful in revenues and profit margins. This has been a large source of their competitive advantage in the past. 2. 1. 3Imitability According to Barney and Hesterly the question of imitability is, â€Å"Do firms without a resource or capability face a cost disadvantage in obtaining or eveloping it compared to firms that already possess it? †[xv] With regard to their human capital there is no outstanding difference between Wal-Mart’s practices and the practices of their competitors, therefore there is no superior advantage. Similarly, through their products and brands there is no sustained advantage for Wal-Mart. As a super-store Wal-Mart sells many different brands, and many different types of products. For example, clothes, electronics, groceries, and medications are all examples of types of products sold in Wal-Mart stores. At the same time, within product lines Wal-Mart offers many brand names such as Sony and Sanyo within the electronics product line. However this is not dissimilar from what Wal-Mart’s competitors practice; neither Target nor Costco specialize within product lines or brands. Therefore, there is no direct advantage. Imitability with regard to the image Wal-Mart portrays is an advantage for the super-store in certain aspects. Wal-Mart’s competitors, such as Target and Costco, are based around the same strategy as Wal-Mart of paying less.Target states, â€Å"Connecting business and community, affordability, and great design,[xvi]† as part of their mission. The key factor for Wal-Mart in the past and present has been the price differentiation between their competitors in offering an even lower price. There is only one way to sustain this – by stock-loading their shelves with more products to sell to offset their lower prices. This has worked for Wal-Mart strictly because for many people the benefit of having more money is enticing.It would be difficult for a company such as Target to imitate the low cost strategy applied by Wal-Mart. The capability of Wal-Mart selling their products at a lower price is an advantage, however, as mentioned above, poor quality is a negative factor. For this reason Wal-Mart’s image imitability ranks in-between. Coinciding with the image of Wal-Mart is the imitability of their geographic location. Wal-Mart began in a small town, Rogers, AK, and during the 1960s, as its competition expanded, Sam Walton could not afford to do the same. xvii] This enabled Sam Walton to expand in the smaller, niche market of rural areas. This gave Wal-Mart opportunity in the fact that their customer base was looking for exactly what they were giving, always low prices. This began their domination in a separate market from that of their competitors. 2. 1. 4Organization Organization refers to each aspect of the VRIO model listed above, Value, Rarity, and Imitability, and evaluates how the firm exploits its resources and capabilities in order to take full advantage of them. xviii] How well does the organization itself, from top management down to lower-level employees, work together to make use of their competitive advantages? In recent years Wal-Mart has taken public hits when it comes to issues with their employees. According to a recent Business Week article Wal-Mart employees can earn up to 20% less than the average retail worker, and along with that, not many of their employees are enrolled in their health care plan because it is â€Å"costly. xix]† This creates a disconnection especially between top level management, who, in American economies especially do no less than very well, and lower-level employees such as customer service employees in the Wal-Mart stores. This can create a problem as Wal-Mart tries to continue their practice of treating their customers like family. Lower-level employees are the most hands-on with customers and if employees are unhappy it will generally show in customer activity. 5. VRIO Visualization Table |Value |Rarity |Imitability |Organization |Competitive Implications | |Employees |N |N |N |N |Weakness | |Image |N |Y |Y / N |Y |Toss Up | |Products / Brands |N |N |N | |Weakness | |Geographic Location |Y |Y |Y |- Strength | 2. 2External Five Forces Analys is To compliment an internal analysis a firm performs an external analysis in the form of a five force analysis. This analysis identifies the environmental threats of the industry in which the firm is competing. These environmental threats are any individual, group, or organization outside a firm that seeks to reduce the level of that firm’s performance. [xx] The five force analysis consists of the threats of entry, rivalry, buyers, substitutes, and suppliers. . 2. 1Threat of Entry Wal-Mart had close to $400 billion dollars in revenue last year[xxi], so because of its sheer size, new market entrants are not much of a threat to the company. In order to become a competitor in the one-stop-shopping market, a company wanting to compete with Wal-Mart would have to open, at a minimum, hundreds of locations all over the country. The brick and mortar retail industry would be incredibly costly to start up in, which would be a major barrier for new market entrants.Because Wal-Mart is purchasing products for over 7000 stores, they are also experiencing massive economies of scale due to suppliers being able to offer lower unit prices. Wal-Mart has also created a high barrier of entry through its supply chain management system, which has pretty much automated their entire supply chain. This system helps them secure distribution channels, lower their operating cost due to a just-in-time approach to inventory, and lock in suppliers because of the size of their business.When an item is taken out of inventory, their system automatically orders another from the manufacturer and lets the entire value chain know about the change in demand. [xxii] Wal-Mart has had a level of control over their suppliers that new markets entrants could only dream of after they have established themselves. The Wal-Mart brand in itself coul d also be considered a barrier of entry as it is a renowned brand name for one-stop-shopping. 2. 2. 2Threat of Substitutes The amount of substitutes available for customers highly depends on whether or not the customer is looking for a one-stop-shopping center.Wal-Mart carries a lot of products that can be found in a lot of specialty stores, as well as their main competitor’s stores. If someone is out shopping for a TV, the amount of substitute retailers’ increases from their main competitors like, Target and Costco, to specialty stores such as Best Buy and Circuit City. In cases like this, where a customer is only looking for a couple certain items, the amount of substitutes that are available can increase greatly, and become a threat to Wal-Mart.On one hand, if a customer is shopping for several things such as furniture, clothing, and a TV, searching for different substitute retailers will take a lot longer time and effort, and the prices will probably not be close to the low ones Wal-Mart would offer for the same product. Going to Wal-Mart can in this case seem to save time and money as there is no need to go out of one’s way to complete a shopping list. In these there are few retailers except for Wal-Mart that offer this sort of one-stop-shopping combined with low prices.Cost-Co, which is one of Wal-Mart’s main competitors require customers to purchase a membership card just to be allowed to shop there. Shopping at Cost-Co could therefore be seen as a major turn-off for customers who are very price sensitive in the first place. Target would be another of Wal-Mart’s main competitors, but they offer far less locations than Wal-Mart, and have a much smaller market share. 2. 2. 3Threat of Suppliers Wal-Mart is an incredibly large retailer with over 100 million customers each week[xxiii], and has therefore, a lot more influence with their suppliers than a smaller company, for example, Albertsons, has with theirs.Wal-Mart purchases products in large quantities for their more than 7000 worldwide locations[xxiv] and uses one of the worlds’ most advanced inventory management system, noted above, which directly communicates with their suppliers. The system they are using automatically submits an order with a supplier once a shelf is getting empty and pays for the shipment. Wal-Mart does not want to sit on millions, or even billions, of dollars worth of inventory, and by using this just-in-time ordering process they are saving a lot of money by letting their suppliers store their inventory for them. xxv] This logistics system, combined with the sheer size of Wal-Mart’s business and market share gives them an incredible control over their suppliers. Wal-Mart has been known for demanding a lot in terms of service and price cuts from their suppliers. Several have actually gone out of business just by losing Wal-Mart as a client, or being unable to keep up with Wal-Mart’s demand of lower prices. [xxvi] There are probably dozens of companies that would jump at the chance to get Wal-Mart as a client if Wal-Mart was to lose one of their suppliers. This makes the threat of suppliers to Wal-Mart close to none. 2. 2. Threat of Buyers Buyers are a constant threat to Wal-Mart because of the amount of retailers that exist in the market, and they, like any other business depend upon their buyers to exist. Wal-Mart is preferred by many because it caters to their price sensitivity and it is convenient, but other factors such as product quality and personal values will also have effects on a buyers purchasing decision. There are people that shop at Wal-Mart because they cannot afford to shop anywhere else, but customers that can afford to shop elsewhere may do so if they are dissatisfied with Wal-Mart and the quality of their products. Customers on a small budget might find the low priced entry point products appealing, and will make their decision based solely on the price of the product. Beating Wal-Mart’s price for an entry level product, brands aside, is a pretty hard thing to do, but there are other retailers that offer better quality products than Wal-Mart. If a customer wants a higher quality product they might end up paying more, or being unable to find the product they want at Wal-Mart, and at this point the customer might decide to take their business elsewhere.This would especially apply to more expensive products such as TVs, cameras, and computers. Convenience also plays a large factor in a customers purchasing decision. Wal-Mart stores are incredibly large and are usually located outside of city centers. Inside there are a dozens of isles and multiple departments, as well as a lot of people. Because of this, Wall-Mart’s size might be a threat to them, as customers who only need groceries or a small item might choose to shop at a local store, as it can take a lot of time to get in and out of a Wal-Mart.The personal values of customers could also pose as a potential threat for Wal-Mart. A lot of people like to shop at Wal-Mart for their â€Å"Always low prices†, but people are becoming aware of some of the effects Wal-Mart’s pricing strategy has had on the economy, their employees, and their local communities. The company has been criticized in the media for giving far below average health benefits for employees[xxvii], forcing local companies out of business by using a below-cost pricing strategy[xxviii], and importing more than 70% of their items from China[xxix], which is in turn hurting American industries.Social impacts like these could conflict with a customer’s personal values, and customers could go shop at different stores. In other wo rds, the business decisions Wal-Mart makes to ensure their low prices could be a factor in losing customers if their decisions are not socially acceptable. 2. 2. 5Threat of rivalry The retail industry is a very intense when it comes to the amount of companies operating within it. Even though Wal-Mart is one of the world’s largest retailers, their main competitors are not regular retailers such as QFC or Best Buy.Wal-Mart is more of a low profit margin one-stop-shopping retailer where customers can get everything they will need from lower priced TVs to groceries and clothing. Companies that are close rivals to Wal-Mart would include companies such as Target, Cost-Co and Carrefour[xxx] that also offer a wide range of one-stop-shopping consumer products. Because these companies operate with a generally low profit margin on their products they must increase their sales in order to cover their fixed costs.Because these companies sell a lot of the same brands, there can be fierce competition as a competitive based pricing strategy is a common way to get a temporary advantage. 2. 3Problem Statement A main issue that Wal-Mart Stores Inc. faces is the perceived negative image attributed to them from both inside and outside the organization. Wal-Mart faces numerous lawsuits and accusations from the general public and from their own employees on the quality of their products, their harsh labor practices, and the overall environment of their stores.Wal-Mart must reposition their image in order to improve their image with the general consumers while at the same time keeping their cost advantage. Quality High Target Costco Price (Low)Price (High) Wal-Mart Quality Low Ch. 3 Strategic Options 3. 1Option 1: Unionize †¢ If Wal-Mart allowed for unionization, their perceived image will change dramatically. They will be viewed publicly as a caring employer that offers better benefits which will attract better workers thus creating better customer service and longevity of their employees. 3. Option 2: Reorganize and un-clutter the isle ways and shelves. †¢ The stores will attract more customers because the stores will be much cleaner and easier to walk through. †¢ This will also give the impression that the store is less of a discount store and perceived value could potentially increase. Ch. 4 Strategic Option Evaluation 4. 1Strategic Evaluation of Unionizing Wal-Mart owns or controls the majority of its industry so changing anything in their operations may be a bit absurd; however, it does mean that it is okay to become lax in everyday operations or with the push for more market share.Companies must always keep reinventing and improving themselves and their products or services to not only compete in their industry or sector but to succeed in it as well. With an ever tarnishing image, Wal-Mart has to work even harder to clear their name from bad press and business practices. Wal-Mart is a multi-billion dollar company whose top executives are some of the richest in the country, however, their employees are barely making minimum wage at the highest, and are facing the harsh reality of being unable to support their families. [xxxi]In 2003, Wal-Mart claimed that cashiers earned and average $7. 92 throughout the country. This would be minimum wage at this time, unfortunately, Wal-Mart does not allow for employees to work more than 30 hours in a week so there is less of a chance of an employee working overtime and thus requiring them to provide benefits or increased wages. As a multi-billion dollar company, providing benefits would be a great opportunity for Wal-Mart to help employees and the economy but it will also help revive the company’s current image into something much more positive.A union would help establish and maintain the program plus it would also create team unity which in turn would create a more positive work environment. The cost of implementing a union would be great; however, the potential earnings from the new business they could find would make the change worth it. Not only would it bring more customers to the store, it will cut down on its lawsuits. In 2005 alone, the company paid $172 million dollars in lawsuits for not giving meal breaks. [xxxii] This does not include any other lawsuits for other mal practices. A union may even cut costs because the company would be held to more strict guidelines. 4. 2Strategic Evaluation for Reorganizing Store Isle Ways and Shelves When a person pictures the inside of a Wal-Mart store they think of narrow isles and fully stocked shelves. The main isles ways at Wal-Mart are commonly cluttered with large displays which create only small passages for its patrons. The large area is often shrunk so small that only one cart can move on either side of the displays.Many of these displays contain rock bottom prices; however, if the shoppers cannot maneuver around others who are looking at these displays, the chances of disputes occurring or people simply leaving the stores could arise. More â€Å"Clearance Isles† or end caps could increase the space for shoppers to move and show the vast amounts of space in the stores. Even though the stores are very large, the cluttering of items gives the illusion of a small, cramped space. With less isle displays, it will also bring more customers through the isles and thus give a potential for greater sales.The shelves are always stocked to their limits as well. By having the shelves packed to capacity, there is a chance to have expired food on the shelves or items on racks that are very old and priced incorrectly. There has already been a case in New Jersey in 2008 that baby formula had been expired for sometime but was still on the shelves. [xxxiii] This is one of the reasons why leaving more space on shelves could help give better customer service and work on their image. Leaving the shelves bare is not the answer however, being able to organize, stock, and restore foods is very important. The chance that expired food is on the shelves is much greater if items are being forgotten about on the backs of shelves. By having the ability to circulate the items more properly, the quality of the food for example, will increase and the satisfaction by customers will grow. A returning customer base will also increase which will also bring more in to stores. 4. 3Recommendation and Plan of Action The ultimate goal is to remain a leader in its industry for Wal-Mart. Because it contains the largest share of the industry, a subtle change should be implemented. Option number two would be the best and less expensive option to go with. The option is to rearrange the store and leave it less cluttered and more maneuverable for shoppers. Although implementing a Union has the potential of reducing legal costs significantly, it will be a very expensive up front cost, and its overhead will still increase. The initially cost of removing some, but not all displays from the main isles would be much less than setting up a Union. The best way to begin to re-order the â€Å"look† of the Wal-Mart stores should be slow so customers can see the changes going on and so they also know where the display items are moving to.That is why separate isles for these displays would be ideal. With their own isles, customers can still have the incredible deals they are receiving, plus there will be a lot more space for people to walk around and maneuver carts without bumping into displays or other shoppers. This plan will also make the store look cleaner and more shopper-friendly. 4. 4Competitive Advantage The size of Wal-Mart is the main component to being an industry leader. Because the company is so large, they are able to provide extremely low prices and still continue to make great revenue gains each year.Since one major component to their advantage has to do with low prices, the perception of quality is a significant weakness. The way to increase its already major advantage by changing the perception of its quality as stated in previous sections. The size of the company does not only correlate between revenue and sales but also the number of stores and the number of cities that are represented. Wal-Mart has stores in most major cities and if not, there is one close by. Being open 24 hours is also a major advantage for Wal-Mart. Most of their competitors are unable to stay open 24 hours. The ompetition at night for Wal-Mart mainly consists of pharmacies or general stores that are more expensive and have smaller selections. 4. 5Implications Price is not only the determining factor to appealing to customers and growing a clientele base. Quality is another major point that consumers are looking for and with inferior products or services; many customers could become only one time shoppers. Return business is very important and a major company such as Wal-Mart would not be able to survive without it just like any other business. The reputation of a company is important and Wal-Mart’s is definitely tarnished and in need of revival.Being only a discount store is not what Wal-Mart should be with the magnitude of its reach. It does not make a difference of how big you are if your reputation and quality are poor. Being a well rounded company is very important in business and keeping customers coming back, and having satisfied employees is essential to the life of any venture.Endnotes ———————– [i] Wal-Mart. Our Purpose. In About Us [Online]. Available: http://walmartstores. com/AboutUs/8123. aspx [2008, September 27]. How to cite Walmart Going Green, Papers

Gay Olympics Essay Example For Students

Gay Olympics Essay I had always enjoyed the summer Olympics and the way the athletes strive to be their best, but after watching the winter Olympics I couldnt help but ask, are these really sports. I have no doubt that the races are sport. There is a definite outcome and no dispute over who won. Then you have these other sports like figure skating and ice dancing. Somehow I cannot take any point of view that would support these two as sports. First you have figure skating that requires agility, endurance, stamina, and coordination yet the winner is purely based on the opinion of another. How is that a sport? Then you have ice dancing common ice dancing! Through all the rejects that couldnt make the figure skating squad, lower expectations, and you know what, just call them ice fairies. That is really what it is. They might as well play Fantasia over and over then judge how well the different animals attempt their aerials. After watching the Apolo Ohno get ripped off in the speed skating, I was treated to the wonderful world of tippy toeing on ice. What kind of transition was that?Then you have curling, an event that could only have come from the British Isles home of haggis, minced meat pie, and other culinary delights. How does a sport like this even get started? Curling is a combination of shuffle board and sweeping. This is a new addition to the Olympics, one that could have been done without. Tug of War used to be on the program, why didnt they keep that at least it has a definite outcome.If you havent noticed by now, I have ended every paragraph with a question because I really have one question on my mind, are the winter Olympics geared towards women. I would hope that no man alive is sitting at home in anticipation of the ice dancers next amazing move. During highlights of figure skating and ice dancing, I look in the audience in amazement of how many proud fathers there are in the audience. I say fathers because that is the only guy I could ever forgive for actually putting any interest into these sports. This is a shallow view on sports but I have always thought that sports should be determined by a definite outcome, not anothers opinion. In baseball, basketball, volleyball, and tennis there is a score to determine the outcome. In racing, whether it is running or cars, there is a clock to determine the outcome. Maybe Im just taking a traditional view. Maybe the Super bowl should be judged next year. Ah yes, I can see it now, I dont know John, the Rams defiantly had better form and just look at their uniforms! I am going to have to give them a ten. Maybe not. Words/ Pages : 474 / 24

Bhagavad-Gita Essays - Mahabharata, Kurukshetra, Hindu Texts

Bhagavad-Gita The Bhagavad-Gita begins with the preparation of battle between the two opposing sides: on the left stands the collected armies of the one hundred sons of Dhritarashtra and on the right lies the soldiers of the Pandava brothers. Warring relatives feuding over the right to govern the land of Kurukshetra, both forces stand poised and ready to slaughter one another. The warrior Arjuna, leader of the Pandava armies, readies himself as his charioteer, the god Krishna, steers toward the opposition when the armies are ready to attack. Arjuna stops Krishna short before the two sides clash together. Hesitation and pity creeps into Arjuna's heart as he surveys his family and relatives on the other side; he loses his will to win at the cost of the lives he still loves. As Arjuna sets down his bow and prepares for his own death, the god Krishna begins his council with Arjuna, where Krishna uses various ideas on action, self-knowledge, and discipline to reveal to Arjuna the freedom to be attained from the suffering of man once Arjuna finds his devotion to Krishna. Before Krishna begins his teachings, Arjuna analyzes his emotions and describes to Krishna the way his heart feels. "Krishna, I seek no victory, or kingship or pleasures" (The Bhagavad-Gita, p. 25). Arjuna admits that he stands to gain nothing of real worth from the war. He knows he cannot consciously triumph over family for his own wealth and glory. "We [Pandava brothers] sought kingships, delights, and pleasures for the sake of those assembled to abandon their lives and fortunes in battle" (The Bhagavad-Gita, p. 25). Arjuna continues on to state that once the family is destroyed and family duty is lost, only chaos is left to overcome what remains. He goes so far as to describe how chaos swells to corrupt even the women in the families, creating disorder in society. Arjuna tells Krishna that the punishment for men who undermine the duties of the family are destined for a place in hell. Finally, Arjuna asks Krishna which is right: the tie to sacred duty or reason? Krishna begins his explanation by stating that all life on earth is indestructible. "Never have I not existed, nor you, nor these kings; and never in the future shall we cease to exist" (The Bhagavad-Gita, p. 31). Because life has always been, reasons Krishna, then how can man kill or be killed when there is no end to the self? Also, Krishna tells Arjuna that his emotions of sorrow and pity are fleeting, and that endurance is all that is necessary to outlast the temporary thoughts. "If you fail to wage this war of sacred duty, you will abandon your own duty and fame only to gain evil" (The Bhagavad-Gita, p. 34). Krishna reinforces the idea of dharma, reminding Arjuna of the consequences faced when one does not fulfill the duty set before him. "Your own duty done imperfectly is better than another man's done well. It is better to die in one's own duty, another man's duty is perilous" (The Bhagavad-Gita, p. 46). Doing one's job poorly is preferable to doing another's well. Even if talents lie in a different area, the duty one is assigned to is the responsibility of the individual. Failure of Arjuna to abide by his duty would have a profound effect on his worldly life as well. Enemies would slander Arjuna and companions would lose faith and respect in the man they once held in such high favor. If Arjuna loses his life, then he gains heaven and if he wins then he gains the earth; thus there is no need for Arjuna to fear for his own fate. To complete his sacred duty, Arjuna must perform the necessary actions for the duty to be achieved. "Be intent on action, not on the fruits of action; avoid attractions to the fruits and attachment to inaction!" (The Bhagavad-Gita, p. 36). In the third teaching, the abstinence from action fails because one cannot merely reject one's actions and find success. Inaction threatens the well-being of the physical body, warns Krishna. Discovered through techniques like yoga and inner reflection, action allows the freedom of the self to be found and attained. Once Arjuna loses desire in the consequences of his actions, then a new kind of discipline can be realized. Understanding, rated superior to action by the god Krishna, provides the necessary tools to perform the skills needed to execute the action. Krishna warns Arjuna that this understanding can be lost once man begins a downward process

Biography of Amedeo Modigliani, Modernist Artist

Biography of Amedeo Modigliani, Modernist Artist The Italian artist Amadeo Modigliani  (July 12, 1884–January 24, 1920) is best known for his portraits and nudes, which featured elongated faces, necks, and bodies. The distinctly modernist works were not celebrated during Modiglianis lifetime, but after his death, he achieved great acclaim. Today, Modigliani is considered a crucial figure in the development of modern painting and sculpture. Fast Facts: Amadeo Modigliani Occupation:  ArtistBorn:  July 12, 1884 in Livorno, ItalyDied:  Ã‚  January 24, 1920 in Paris, FranceEducation:  Accademia di Belle Arti, Florence, ItalySelected Works:  The Jewess  (1907),  Jacques and Berthe Lipchitz  (1916),  Ã‚  Portrait of Jeanne Hebuterne  (1918)Famous Quote:  When I know your soul, I will paint your eyes. Early Life and Training Born into a Sephardic Jewish family in Italy, Modigliani grew up in Livorno, a port city known as a safe haven for those fleeing religious persecution. His family suffered financial ruin at the time of his birth, but they eventually recovered. A sickly childhood prevented the young Modigliani from receiving a traditional formal education. He battled pleurisy and typhoid fever. However, he began drawing and painting at an early age, and his mother supported his interests. At age 14, Modigliani enrolled in formal training with local Livorno master Guglielmo Micheli. Modigliani often rejected the ideas of classical painting, but instead of disciplining his pupil, Micheli encouraged Amedeos experimentation with different styles. After two years of success as a student, Modigliani contracted tuberculosis, which disrupted his artistic education and perhaps his entire lifes trajectory: a mere 19 years later, the disease would claim his life. Parisian Artist In 1906, Modigliani moved to Paris, the center of artistic experimentation. He settled in an apartment in Le Bateau-Lavoir, a commune for poor, struggling artists. Modiglianis lifestyle was raucous and arguably self-destructive: he became addicted to drugs and alcohol and engaged in numerous affairs. Biographers have speculated that Modiglianis ongoing struggle with tuberculosis spurred his self-destructive lifestyle. In the early 1900s, tuberculosis was a leading cause of death, and the disease was contagious. Perhaps by burying his struggles under the influence of substances and hard-partying, Modigliani shielded himself from potential social rejection as well as the suffering caused by his illness. Painting Modigliani produced new work at a furious pace, creating as many as 100 drawings a day. Most of these drawings no longer exist, however, as Modigliani typically destroyed or discarded them during his frequent moves. In 1907, Modigliani met Paul Alexandre, a young physician and patron of the arts, who became one of his first steady customers.  The Jewess, painted in 1907, was the first Modigliani painting purchased by Alexandre, and is considered one of the prime examples of Modiglianis work during the period. A few years later, Modiglianis most productive period began. In 1917, with the patronage of Polish art dealer and friend Leopold Zborowski, Modigliani started work on a series of 30 nudes that became some of the most celebrated work of his career. The nudes were featured in Modiglianis first and only solo show, and it became a sensation. Police tried to close the exhibition down on the first day due to charges of public obscenity. With the removal of some of the nudes from a storefront window, the show continued a few  days later.   A photograph depicting Portrait of Jeanne Hebuteme on display in a gallery. Ben A. Pruchnie / Getty Images Modigliani created a series of portraits of fellow artists including  Pablo Picasso  while World War I raged in Europe. Among the most famous of these works is a portrait of the artist Jacques Lipchitz and his wife, Berthe. After beginning a relationship with Jeanne Hebuterne in the spring of 1917, Modigliani entered the final stage of his work. Hebuterne was a frequent subject for his portraits, and they are marked by the use of more subtle colors and elegant lines. Modiglianis portraits of Jeanne Hebuterne are considered some of his most relaxed, peaceful paintings.  Ã‚   Sculpture In 1909, Amedeo Modigliani met the Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi.  The meeting inspired Modigliani to pursue his lifelong interest in sculpture.  For the next five years, he focused on sculpting. A 1912 Paris exhibition at the Salon dAutomne featured eight stone heads by Modigliani. They demonstrate his ability to translate ideas from his paintings to a three-dimensional form. They also reveal strong influences from African sculpture.   Laura Lezza / Getty Images At some point in 1914, at least partially influenced by the rarity of sculpting materials with the outbreak of World War I, Modigliani abandoned sculpture for good. Later Life and Death Modigliani suffered from the progression of tuberculosis throughout most of his adult life. After a series of affairs and relationships, including one with Russian poet Anna Akhmatova in 1910, he appeared to live a life of relative contentment with 19-year-old Jeanne Hebuterne beginning in 1917. She gave birth to a daughter, Jeanne, in 1918. In 1920, a neighbor checked on the young couple after not hearing from them for several days. They found Modigliani in the final stages of tubercular meningitis. He succumbed to the disease in a local hospital on January 24, 1920. At the time of Modiglianis death, Hebuterne was eight months pregnant with the couples second child; she did by suicide the following day. Legacy and Influence During his lifetime, Modigliani was stubbornly idiosyncratic, refusing to associate himself with the art movements of his era, such as  Cubism,  Surrealism, and Futurism. Today, however, his work is considered pivotal to the development of modern art. Sources Meyers, Jeffrey. Modigliani: A Life. Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt, 2014.Secrest, Meryle. Modigliani. Random House, 2011.

Best Practices for Protecting Healthcare Sector Networks and Data Research Proposal

Best Practices for Protecting Healthcare Sector Networks and Data - Research Proposal Example She successfully excelled in sales and was promoted to be a trainer of the sales vendors at the age of twenty-five. Sara Blakely has some key secrets behind her success. One of her positive influence to the excellence was her way of thinking recreationally in all aspects. She always gave herself an uninterrupted time to think. That amble time of thinking gave her opportunity to give attention to everything surrounding her and extract all the probable chances that are offered by the circumstances. Besides, these prospects gave her to focus on how to improve the opportunities and the product that she had. Sara Blakely cultivated the limitless vision. She had a belief that what an individual can thick one can do create it. While in high school, she informed her colleagues that she would at one-time feature at Oprah Winfrey Show. After that, she tirelessly worked towards it (Kidder, 2012). Sara Blakely sought the feedback from the right people not from anybody. She never hides her idea to the people whom she thought could impact to her idea positively. She never taught her idea to her friends or family, as she was aware that she could spend more time tr ying to explain to them the validation and telling it and fail to get to her heights. Sara Blakely failed to make to pursue her career in law that she longed to joined, but she changed her career. Again, at the time when she was selling the fax machines she was frustrated by the panty lines that were observed from her attire (Kidder, 2012). Sara Blakely has excellent leadership skills that made her who she is today. Sara Blakely delegated the responsibility of every department to all members who worked in the division. She used to remind every work that they were supposed to treat the area of work as theirs. She trusted herself alone, and always implemented her vision (Kidder, 2012). Sara Blakely was talented in sales as at the age of just twenty-five was promoted to the capacity of the

Support to SMEs in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Support to SMEs in the UK - Essay Example This importance of the sector can therefore not be overlooked. Moreover, with the increased shift towards government and private sector alliances in most nations, it is impediment upon the government of the day to closely monitor and support the activities of the small businesses in the country. It is through the recognition of this fact that the government has the obligation of providing support to the various SMEs in the country. Another important factor about SMEs is through the characteristic growth that they have exhibited in major economies of the world including the United Kingdom. To harness this growth to the national economic growth, there is a need for a good operational environment for such enterprises. The government, private sector and other parties have therefore taken measures to ensure that the businesses are supported for an enhanced growth that will translate into an economic improvement. This paper will critically analyze the support and resources that have been a vailed to the SMEs in the country in terms of linguistic and cultural support. ... First, there are two major national wide financial assistance programs. They include the enterprise finance guarantee (EFG) and the enterprise capital funds (ECF). Secondly, there are other separate programs that are concerned with supporting the enterprises within England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales (BBC, 2011). The EFG is a nationwide financial assistance program to SMEs that was established to encourage and enhance lending to the various enterprises from the various commercial banks. Since lending tradition in the country has always followed strict requirement criteria, the government has been able to use this program to assist the enterprises meet these standards. This is through providing a guarantee of 75% to their loans on commercial banks. The enterprises also need to show that they have an annual income or turnover of about 25 million pounds (BBC, 2011). This program is flexible to all enterprises except in the coal industry. The EFG program is therefore a resourceful finan cial guarantee program that helps enterprises overcome the cultural barriers imposed by commercial banks that traditionally prefer to deal with established organizations because of the strict requirements of lending in the country. Through this program, the enterprises are able to acquire loans, repay their existing loans among other financial undertakings for the support of business growth and expansion. As a result, it is estimated that about 6000 enterprises benefit from this resourceful program annually in the country with enterprises required to access the program through their banks. Likewise, the ECFs are another move by the national government aimed at supporting the growth of SMEs. The program is a capital oriented initiative that involves

PAYMENT AND TRADE FINANCE - A Case Study- corporate finance involving Essay

PAYMENT AND TRADE FINANCE - A Case Study- corporate finance involving law - Essay Example Saida tenders to Big Bank plc a pre-printed â€Å"shipped on-board† bill of lading with an issuance date of 31 March. There is also a notation referring to â€Å"10,002 tonnes Class A cement fully loaded on 1 April with 5% on deck†. Saida has also tendered a word-processed cover note referring to 10,000 tonnes Grade A cement marked â€Å"as original† but not signed, and an invoice for â€Å"approximately 10,000 tonnes high grade cement†. It is generally known in the industry that Class A means cement with a purity percentage of at least 98%†. A surveyor’s certificate is also tendered which states that the cement is slightly discoloured. Big Bank has reservations about the documents and pays Saida â€Å"under reserve† and â€Å"without prejudice†. Armita, Small Bank’s manager, refuses to reimburse Big Bank on the basis of non-compliance. She also suspects that the date entered by the shipmaster on the bill of lading is fals e. Armita also demands to see a certificate of origin because it is her bank’s policy not to deal with goods emanating from certain countries. Saida has also contracted to sell a consignment of sulphur to Turhan. The contract requires Saida to secure for Turhan’s benefit, a performance guarantee to the amount of ?30,000 issued by Nidhi Bank, a bank in London, England, guaranteeing Saida’s performance. That guarantee is expressed in the following terms: â€Å"We undertake to pay you on your assertion of Saida’s default or breach of Contract No 34/06 in writing being received at this office and bearing our reference Guarantee No 666/05A ... † Saida refuses to ship when she discovers Turhan has failed to open a letter of credit in her favour. Turhan’s bank has declined to issue the letter of credit because of liquidity problems. Turhan makes a demand under the guarantee on Nidhi Bank by making a statement asserting Saida’s failure to shi p but the demand refers to "Guarantee No 666/05". Discuss the rights and liabilities of the parties under English law. Ans# Trade credit is often used as a method of payment for both the domestic as well as the international trade business. However, it is mostly used in international trade considering the overall risks involved in the international trade transactions as well as the role of banks in facilitating the payments between the parties. As such the credit used for the purchase and financing of the inventories and current assets is called short term credit whereas the credit used for the financing of the capital expenditure is considered as the long term finance and both types of finances can be availed through international trade transactions.1 It is important to understand however, that the payments in the international trade finance are often governed through different laws. Most importantly laws and regulations set by the International Chamber of Commerce or ICC are consi dered as binding on the parties involved in the international trade transactions. The major set of rules governing the international trade transactions include UCP 600 which actually provide a detailed overview of the rights and obligations of each party to the transaction in the international trade besides governing the swift completion of such transactions. 2 Under UCP 600, not only the rights and obligations of the parties are outlined but the overall role and responsibilities of the banks and

History and Significance of Oceanography

History and Significance of Oceanography Dr. Sajjad Hussain Sajjad Introduction â€Å"Oceanography is a branch of earth science which deals with the study of world oceans† Oceanography is a boarder term in which many sciences focused on the common goal of understanding then oceans. Geology, Physics, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Botany, Zoology, Mathematics, and Meteorology all play important role in the expanding over knowledge of the oceans. Geological Oceanography is the study of earth at the sea â€Å"edge below its surface and the history which poses ocean basin. Physical Oceanography deals the causes and properties of water movement such as wave’s currents and tides. Physical Oceanography also poses the study of the transmission of energy such as sound light and heat in sea water and the study of heat transfer and water cycle is called Marine Meteorology. Chemical oceanography deals with composition and history of the water. Biological Oceanography is the study of all marine organism and the interaction between there organism and the environment. The study of the oceans was promoted by intellectual and the social forces as well as by our need for marine resources and trade etc. Oceanography started conversional, it began to develop as a modern science in the mid 1800 s. Our progress towards the goal of understanding the ocean has been uneven and it has frequently changed direction. The interest and need of nations as well as the intellectual curiosity of scientists have controlled the rate at which we study the ocean. Objectives Historical overview of Oceanography Scope and Significance of Oceanography Main body of assignment Historical overview of Oceanography The Early Times Peoples have been gathering information about the ocean for millennia accumulating bits and pieces of knowledge and passing it on by word of mouth. Curious individuals must have acquired their first idea of the oceans from wondering the seashore. Wading in the shallows and gathering food from the ocean edge. During Palaeolithic period the humans developed the barbed, spear, or harpoon and the gorge. At the beginning of the Neolithic period the bone fishhook was developed and later the net. As early human moved slowly away from their in land. Centre’s of development, they were prepare to take the benefits of seafood sources when they first explored and later settled along the ocean shore. The remaining of shell and refuse in piles known as kitchen maddens have been found at these sites of ancient shore settlement. The artefacts that have been found probably give us only an idea of the minimum extent of ancient short ancient. Mediterranean the ancient Greeks caught maintain and traded fish while the Phoenicians founded fishing settlement such as the fisher town Sidon that grew into important trading ports. Some historian believes that seagoing ships of all kinds are derived from early Egyptian vessels. The first recorded travel by sea was led by pharaoh snafu about 3200 B.C. The Phoenicians who lived in present day Lebanon from about 1200 to 146 B.C. were well known as excellent sailors and navigator. The Phoenicians were the only nation in the region at that time that had a navy. They traded through the Mediterranean Sea with inhabitants of North Africa, Italy, Greece, France and Spain. In 1999 the wreckage of two Phoenician cargo vessels circa 750 B.C. was explored using remotely operated vehicles (ROVS) that could dive to the wreckage and send back live video images of ships. Ptolemy (C.A.D.127-51) developed the world first atlas and drawing the world boundaries to the north the British Isles Northern Europe and the strange land of Asia to the South and known land terra Australia incognita including Ethiopia, Libya, and the India Sea to the East China and to the West, there is the great Western Ocean reaching around earth to china. Middle Ages Scientific thought and intellectual activity declined after Ptolemy for about 1000 years in Europe. During the Middle Ages improved ship buildings to the south in the Mediterranean region after fall to the Roman Empire. Arab scholars continue Greek and Roman knowledge to build on it. During the Middle Ages, while Scholarship about the sea continue primitive. The knowledge of navigation increased Harbours finding charts appeared. Dutch navigational chart from Johannes van Kerulen great new and improved sea atlas or water world of 1682-84. The compass direction follow the pattern used in early fourteen century protolanos http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18757/18757-h/18757-h.htm Voyages of Discovery Early in the fifteenth century, the Chinese organized seven voyage the explore the pacific and Indian ocean has more than 300 ships, in which more than one ship are 122m(400 ft.) long participation in these adventures to extend Chinese influence and demonstrate the power of the Ming dynasty. This voyages ended in 1433. The individual most responsible for the great age of European discovery was Prince Henry the navigator (1394- 1460) of Portugal. Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) made firer voyages across the Atlantic Ocean in an effort to find a new route to the East Indies by traveling west rather than east. Italian navigator Amigo Vespucci (1454-1512) made several voyage to the world (1499-1504) from Spain and Portugal, exploring nearly 10,000 km of South American coastline. After that the captain James Cook (1728-1779) made his three great voyages. He was British navigator and he was famous for his voyages. In 1768 he left the England then he returned in 1871 and he explored and ch arted coast of New Zealand and Eastern Australia. In this third journey between (1772-1775) he explored the Antarctic Ocean. In the United States, Benjamin Franklin (1706-90) travels between England and America. His cousin and a whaling captain from Nantucket constructed the chart of gulf stream current when published the chart, encouraged captains to sail with in the gulf stream en routes to Europe and return via the trade wind beat and follow the gulf stream north again to Philadelphia, New York city and many other parts. http://www.maps.com/ref_map.aspx?pid=11340 Prof. Nils Jerlov (1910-1990) Professor Nils Jerlov is belonging from Sweden and passed away at the age of 80. He got the degree of graduation in 1932 and took his doctor degree in 1939 at the University of Lund. After that he was appointed a professor in Physical Oceanography at the University of Copenhagen in 1963. Nile Jerlov took part in a number of expedition’s a. o. Prof Niles Jerlov participated in the Swedish worldwide Oceanography expeditions with the R/V Albatross (1947-1948). He had number of specialities but a great interested was optical Oceanography. The study of optical Oceanography includes light penetrating sea water. Niles Jerlov was member of many international associations for Physical Oceanography and the Danish national board for Oceanology as well as many others. Then the Nils Jerlov met with B.Kullenberg and make outstanding investigation of the optical properties of sea water and his major investigation is the optical classification of sea water which is called Jerlov Classificatio n. Jerlov was interested in many fields. He wrote publication on the heat budget of sea water, nuclear Physics and the population problems. He concluded his own and his other research colleagues work in the book and published under the name marine optics Jerlov and his staff developed a world famous institution of optical oceanography in Copenhagen. Jerlov had no understanding of disputes between colleagues about the publication of scientific result. History of Oceanography in Germany The deutsche Gesell chaff fur Meeresforschung has developed a working group on the history of marine investigation. It is all those interested in German Marine Science including the Mathematics and Technology political history of Geography and Marine history. Oceanography at Royal Museum of Scotland A new scientific instrument gallery planned by Alison Morrison Low has opened at the RMS in Edinburgh. It contains the distinguished history of Oceanography in Scotland. The Extended U.S Territorial Sea At the Meeting at the law school in January 1991 Professor Harry Schieber at the University of Hawaii. His Co- author Chris Carr of the University of California at Barkley presenting a paper on problem of United State Fisheries Oceanography in relation to extended Jurisdiction Policies (1945-1989). Ocean Resources: Industries and Rivalries A volume with this title edited by Harry N. Schieber contains many historical papers based on paper repared for the 10th international economic history congress. Belgium Leuven after that the Dr. Herman Ueberlein on Breganzona Lugano Switzerland has contributed the private collection of 6500 books and many documents based on the history of marine and fresh water research. A congress organised to commemorate 500 years of Portuguese’s maritime Escola Nacional De Saude public a, Lisbon 10-13 September 1990 and 50 participants from the U.K, Spain, Portugal, and Japan prepared paper based on the medical subjects related to Portuguese maritime discoveries and their era. It will be published the AV- Padre Cruz 1699 Lisboa Codec and the national de Saude Publica. Scope and Significance of Oceanography The ocean important to every individual on the earth planet. People enjoy the beauty of the oceans and bounty of its waters, but may not fully understand that every day actions- boating improper waste disposal construction ignoring developing areas can affect the oceans and its resources. Planning for long term growth development and use of coastal areas is the key to continued life of the oceans. Project Oceanography has dedicated a portion of its 1998 fall schedule to year of the oceans (YOTO). The declaration of 1998 as the international year of the oceans provides a chance for organization governments and individual to raise public awareness of the role that the ocean play in our lives, and to initiate changes needed to sustain the marine resources on which we all depends. The most important points of (YOTO) are hoping to get across to everyone. These points include: The significance of ocean to health on the earth planet. Different kinds of instruments that we use to study the oceans. The significance of marine environment and the living organism in them are threatened. Participating in YOTO is easy for everyone, and it might be an on-going participation there is a numerous of free materials at resources available throw government agencies’ much of it via the internet, which you can use in your class room for many years. Now it is a good time to order and download lot of free, high-quality marine educational material. Both President Clinton and wise president Al Gore or main supporters of ocean protection. They are advocating what may prove to be a new era in ocean exploration among many of the new programme announced in June 1998, the United State will review ocean resources and policy to insure a â€Å"Cleaner† Marine Environment, Healthier. Ocean cover greater than 70% of the earth surface and it contain 99% of the living space on the earth. Without the oceans the organisms do not survive, it would be five fewer phyla of animals on the earth surface. However it is the most important to preserve the oceans and to protect the biodiver sity which living on the earth surface. Biodiversity Mangrove, Salt Marshes, Sea grass, Beds and Coral Reefs or just a few of the ocean environment which support a large number of different species of organism- that is, have a high biodiversity. Estuaries are brackish water system that empty there water into the world oceans, and support many, many fishes and many other living organisms. Along with the coral reefs, estuaries sustain 75% of all commercial fishes and shellfish during some point of their life cycles. Mangroves not only act as nurseries for commercially important marine species, they also act as a filtration system for coastal water. Natural Resources The floor of ocean habitat is not as well-known as coral reefs or coastal areas, but it is very important to all other organisms that live on the bottom of the oceans. The continental shells and ocean floor is store house of many important minerals including natural gas oil. Transportation The oceans are not only important to sustain life, but also help in the moving of materials that we use more than 95% of U.S. foreign trade passes through U.S ports and Harbours. Without barges, commercial ships transportation of goods from place to place would be much more difficult and expensive. Cities which have good natural harbours have always had an advantage, and even today are some of the largest cities in the world. Climate and Weather Warm ocean water provides the energy to fuel storm system that provides fresh water which is necessary to land-dwelling organisms. The oceans effect climate and global weather as the air passes over the warm water, rises due to warming. When it is cold condensation of water take place and create rainfall. If the air passes or a cooler water, it becomes cools and sinks. Air removes from high to low pressure areas. Warm air moves with the Gulf Stream toward the northern Europe. Thus, the winters and northern Europe or not intolerable. Economy The ocean is also important to our economy. One of every six U.S. jobs is marine-related, and more than 66% of the world populations lives within 100 km of the coastline. Real state, occupation, recreation and many other services associated with the ocean generate 54 billion dollars in goods and services per year. Revenue related to the ocean is produced throw, kelp, food, recreation, and moaning, shipping and biomedical products. Source of trade Routes The trade between different countries confined to the oceans and it determined different routes which joining different countries Source of food Supply Oceans are most important source of food supply including red algae, sponges, fish’s etc. sponges and cartilage from the sharks or being used in medicine to help fight the battle against cancer. Source of Salt Oceans are major source of salt which is use for different purposes. And which is necessary to many marine organisms. Source of Water vapour Another most important function of oceans is the formation of water vapours. Political importance of oceans. Source of ecosystem Strategic importance Source of atmospheric circulation Acknowledgement References Akbari, H., Menon, S. and Rosenfeld, A., (2008). Global Cooling: Effect of Urban Albedo on Global Temperature. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Report, Berkeley, CA. Alcoforado, M. J. and Andrade, H. (2008). Global Warming and the Urban Heat Island. Urban Ecology, 249-262. Arnfield, A. J. (2003). Micro and mesoclimatology. Progress in Physical Geography, 27, 435-447. Fedra, K. (1999). Urban Environmental Management: Monitoring, GIS, and Modelling. Computer, Environment and Urban Systems. 23 p. 443-457. Herold, M., Gardner, M. E. Roberts, D. A. (2003). Spectral resolution requirements for mapping urban areas, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, accepted for publication (in press). Huxhold, W. E. (1991). An Introduction to urban Geographic Information Systems. New York: Oxford University Press. Lata, K. M., Sandra, R. and Badrinath, K. V. S. (2001). Measuring urban sprawl, A case Study of Hydrabad, GIS Dev.5. Meteorological department of Pakistan, Annual Report (2012) Seto, K. C, Shepherd, J. M. (2009). Global Urban Land-Use Trends and Climate Impacts, Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 1: 89-95.

The Impact of Computers on Education :: Educational Technology Essays

The Impact of Computers on Education Technology is all around us these days. If you don't understand the basics of computers and how to run one your choices of jobs and things to do are limited. Almost everywhere you go and every job you can think of uses computers. For this reason, computers have become a big part of the education system. I'm planning on teaching elementary students so I researched the impact that computers have had on teachers and students. When I become a teacher there is no doubt that I will use computers in my classroom and my students will do activities with computers. It is just the way to do things now. There are so many valuable programs out there to help students learn and to help teachers teach that computers are pretty much a necessity in classrooms. In my opinion for an elementary classroom there should be at least five to ten computers in each room. Without the access to the computers it is hard to take advantage of all the wonderful things a computer has to offer. Even using the internet has a source of information for the students or has a tutorial for students who are struggling. There are so many ways that classrooms will benefit from computers. The first thing I looked at was how teachers were being affected by computers. "Integrating technology into your teaching can change the way you deliver content to your classes.[1]" Not only are teachers affected by having to do grades and attendance by computers now but, they also have to worry about teaching their students about computers and integrating it into the daily lesson plans. By doing attendance on computers it saves a lot of time and confusion for schools. No one has to go around and pick up attendance and it does not have to be recorded anymore. Just one easy, quick step and it is all taken care of. In my opinion although computers can be very helpful it might take a while and some long hours for a teacher to switch over from running a classroom one way to using computers in their daily lesson plans.